HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam will actively support and share experiences so that Laos can fulfill its presidency of ASEAN in 2016 as well as successfully organise the ASEAN Summit.

President Trần Đại Quang made the comments during his meeting with the Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith in Hà Nội yesterday.

The President applauded the outcome of the meeting between the two foreign ministers earlier, saying that co-operative orientations would heighten the two ministries’ relations, particularly during Laos’ ASEAN presidency this year.

He affirmed that the Party, State and people of Việt Nam attached great importance to relations, whose foundations were laid by President Hồ Chí Minh and President Kaysone Phomvihane. The relations had been nurtured by the leaders of the parties, the national assemblies and peoples of the two countries.

Congratulating achievements that the Lao Party and people had made in past years, Quang said that he believed Laos would achieve more progress.

He hailed the successful visits to Việt Nam by the Lao General Secretary and President Bounnhang Volachith and Prime Minister Thongloun Sisolith earlier, saying that such visits had helped elevate relations between the two parties, states and governments to a higher level.

Quang said that he would pay an official visit to Laos very soon, stressing that choosing Laos as his first official visit as the Vietnamese President showed that the Party, the State and people of Việt Nam always treasured the brotherly relations it has with Laos.

In response, the Lao foreign minister said that leaders of Laos were expecting the visit of the Vietnamese President to the country.

He believed the visit would be a milestone that cultivates ties between the two parties, the states and peoples of the two countries.

Regarding his talks with Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Phạm Bình Minh, Saleumxay Kommasith said the two sides agreed to strengthen co-ordination in order to effectively implement high-level agreements between the two countries and achieve consensus in exchanges on issues of bilateral and multilateral co-operation.

As Laos was taking the role of ASEAN presidency, the close co-operation between the two ministries would play an important role in the success of Laos, he said.

The same day, President Quang met with Lao Ambassador to Việt Nam, Thongsavang Phomvihane. — VNS