Vientiane (VNA) – General Luong Cuong,Chairman of the General Department of Politics under the Vietnam People's Army(VPA), is leading a delegation to pay an official visit to Laos from November17-19.

On November 17, Cuong paid a courtesy call on PartyGeneral Secretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, and Minister of National Defence General Chansamone Chanyalath, and held talks with Senior Lieutenant GeneralThongloi Silivong, Deputy Minister of National Defence, and Chairman of the Lao People’sArmy (LPA)’s General Department of Politics.

Thongloun stressed that Cuong’s visit willcontribute to fostering the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensivecooperation between the two Parties, States and people of Laos and Vietnam.

Cuong conveyed regards of Party GeneralSecretary Nguyen Phu Trong and President Nguyen Xuan Phuc to Party GeneralSecretary and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, and other high-ranking leadersof Laos.

He highlighted political and diplomatic activities heldat all levels within the framework of the Vietnam-Laos, Laos-Vietnam Solidarity andFriendship Year 2022, especially the ceremony celebrating the 60th founding anniversaryof the bilateral diplomatic ties and 45th years of the signing of the Treaty ofAmity and Cooperation between the two countries, co-chaired by the two PartyGeneral Secretaries in Hanoi and Vientiane last July.

The two defence ministries have also coordinated inbuilding and implementing celebration plans with nearly 30 practicalactivities, he said, adding that during his visit, the two armies will organisemore meaningful activities, including an exchange between young officers and anart performance show.

He used the occasion to thank the Lao side for itssupport in the search and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiersand experts who laid down their lives during the war in Laos.

The same day, Cuong paid a courtesy visit to LaoDeputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Chansamone Chanyalath, during whichthe Vietnamese officer expressed his wish that the Lao Government, the Ministry ofNational Defence, the LPA and the Deputy PM and Minister of National Defence himself will furtherfacilitate the search and repatriation work.

During the talks between Cuong and Thongloi Silivong,the two sides exchanged views on the regional and global situation, reviewedcooperation over the past time and raised proposals for collaboration in thetime ahead.

They agreed to actively implement agreements reachedby high-ranking leaders of the two Parties and States, struggle to foil plots by hostile forces aiming to undermine the Vietnam-Laos relations, improvethe quality of the communication work to raise public awareness of the significanceof the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation betweenthe two Parties, States and armies, promote experience exchange, continue withpersonnel cooperation and speed up the search and repatriation work.

Cuong said he hoped that outcomes of the talks willcontribute to strengthening solidarity and cooperation between the two armiesand the departments in particular./.