Hanoi (VNA) – The special relationsbetween Vietnamese and Lao Parties and States hold the strategic meaning topeace, stability, cooperation and development in the respective countries aswell as in the region and around the world.

General Secretary of the Communist Party ofVietnam (CPV) Nguyen Phu Trong and General Secretary of the Lao People’sRevolutionary Party (LPRP) and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith made the statementduring their talks in Hanoi on December 19.

They described the successful friendship andsolidarity year 2017 between Vietnam and Laos as an important milestone in thetwo countries’ relations.

In the years to come, the two countries would facea lot of difficulties and challenges in building, safeguarding and reformingthe nation. Therefore, it is necessary to strengthen coordination inimplementing development strategies in the respective societies while improvingthe bilateral cooperation efficiency across the fields, especially regardingeconomics.

Vietnam and Laos pledged to closely work torealise more effectively the agreements signed between the two countries’Parties and States and the Vietnam-Laos Joint Statement.

The two sides will spare no efforts to deepentheir political ties and increase experience sharing in building the Party anda strong political system as well as boosting socio-economic development andinternational integration.

They will focus on personnel training at alllevels, promoting the spirit of the friendship solidarity year and raisingpublic awareness of the traditional friendship and special relations betweenVietnam and Laos, especially among youngsters.

The Vietnamese and Lao leaders agreed tocontinue coordinating effectively and providing mutual support at regional andinternational forums, especially at the United Nations (UN), the Association ofSoutheast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS).

The two countries vowed to coordinate with GMSnations and relevant international organisations to make effective andsustainable use and management of water resources of the Mekong River, whilestrengthening coordination with Cambodia to implement efficiently thetrilateral agreement on Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Development Triangle Area (CLV).

Regarding the East Sea issue, Vietnamese and Laoleaders stressed the importance of maintaining peace, stability, security,safety and freedom of navigation and overflight in the East Sea.

They agreed to settle any disputes via peacefulmeans and in line with international law, including the 1982 UN Convention onthe Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in theEast Sea (DOC), and the early building of the Code of Conduct in the East Sea(COC).

After talks, the host and guest witnessed thesigning of an agreement between the Vietnamese and Lao Governments on theconstruction of the Lao National Assembly building and the handing over of a certificateon the Laos-Vietnam Port Joint Stock Company to the Lao side and a collectionof books “Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam friendship roads”.

The Lao leader invited General Secretary Trong to visit Laos at an appropriatetime, and the later accepted the invitation with pleasure.

The Lao leader is paying an official friendlyvisit to Vietnam from December 19-21, the second of its kind during his tenure(2016-2021). It is made at the invitation of Party General Secretary Nguyen PhuTrong and President Tran Dai Quang.-VNA