Vietnam’s Deputy Foreign Minister Le Hoai Trung and his Lao counterpartAlounkeo Kittikhoun co-chaired the two ministries’ first deputyministerial political consultation in Hanoi on July 20.

The two sides informed each other of their respective country’ssituations and reviewed the implementation of their ministries’cooperation agreement.

In 2015, the twoministries have continued to carry out delegation exchanges, coordinatedin organising major festivals and helped intensify cooperation insecurity defence, economics, trade, investment, education and transport.

Both agreed to further their bilateralcollaboration, prepare for the Inter-Governmental Committee’s 38thmeeting in Laos in late 2015, work towards the early conclusion of aproject to increase and upgrade the two countries’ border markers andimplement the government-level agreement on addressing irregularmigration and illegitimate marriage.

They alsovowed to maintain close coordination at regional and internationalforums, especially within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN), while working with other ASEAN countries to determine thegroup’s roles and viewpoints in the region’s strategic issues.

The second political consultation will be held in Laos in 2016.

The Lao official was then received by Deputy Prime Minister andForeign Minister Pham Binh Minh, who confirmed that Vietnam continuallygives top priority to consolidating and developing the Vietnam-Laosspecial solidarity and all-round cooperation.

Minh spoke highly of the outcomes of the consultation, stressing theneed for the two ministries to further promote their role in proposingmeasures to further the two countries’ relations.

He affirmed that Vietnam will support and closely coordinate with Laosin 2016 when the latter assumes the position as Chair of ASEAN.

The Lao guest expressed his hope that the Deputy Prime Minister andForeign Minister would continue steering the ministry to tightencooperation with Laos to further enhance the relations between the twocountries.-VNA