Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia hold development meeting

HA NOI — The Committees of Foreign Affairs of the National Assemblies of Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam held its fourth conference in the central province of Nghe An yesterday to promote friendship, cooperation and development of the border areas of the three countries.

The conference took as its theme "the role of parliaments in supporting the Development Triangle." It took place in the special context of the Viet Nam-Cambodia Friendship Year 2012 and the Viet Nam-Laos Friendship and Solidarity Year 2012.

The three countries have hosted an array of activities to mark the 45th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnamese-Cambodian diplomatic ties and the 50th anniversary of the establishment of Vietnamese-Laos diplomatic ties and 35 years since the signing of the Viet Nam-Laos Friendship and Cooperation Treaty.

At the event, Vietnamese NA Vice Chairman Uong Chu Luu underscored the significant role of each NA in assisting the ‘Development Triangle Area'.

Luu proposed the NAs and their external relations committees actively back agreements relating to the Development Triangle Area signed by the three governments and supervise the implementation of the agreements.

He said this conference should consider the possibility for the establishment of the Cambodia-Laos-Viet Nam Inter-Parliamentary Committee and the committee's plan of action to supervise and assist the implementation of policies and agreements to ensure effective results.

According to head of the Vietnamese NA's Committee for External Relations Tran Van Hang, the development triangle area covers over 114,600 sq.km across 13 border provinces in the three countries, which are at the head of many important rivers in terms of environmental management and the defence and security of all three countries.

Under the three Governments' instruction, the Development Triangle Area has seen rapid growth and virtually fulfilled its initial goals. People in the area have benefited from the three Governments' investments and helpful policies as well as the participation of several international organisations.

However, after 10 years, only modest progress has been made towards implementing the master plan on building the Development Triangle Area. The area has yet to achieve a breakthrough in socio-economic development.

The Cambodia-Laos-Viet Nam Development Triangle Area remains an area where development standards are lower than others, infrastructure development is going slower than planned and financial resources to implement projects remains limited.

This requires the three countries' legislative agencies to join the three Governments in assisting the Development Triangle Area.

Meanwhile, heads of the Cambodian delegation Chheang Vun and the Lao delegation Koukeo Akhhamonty and Nghe An provincial authorities said the Development Triangle Area enhanced the security of all three nations,...