HÀ NỘI — The 27th annual Việt Nam-Laos border meeting was held on Saturday in Hà Nội, aiming to seek orientations for border co-operation in 2018. 

The Vietnamese delegation was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister and head of the National Border Committee Lê Hoài Trung, while the Lao side was led by Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith. 
Both sides reviewed their coordination in border issues as well as their affiliation in implementing bilateral border and territory agreement in 2017. They agreed that so far this year, the political stability and security as well as social order and safety along the shared border have been ensured. 
The two sides have supported the growth of border areas in all fields, contributing to reinforcing and strengthening ties between the two countries in general and among border localities in particular, they said. 
They also showed their delight at the signing of two legal documents on border cooperation – a protocol on borderline and national border markers, and an agreement on land border and border gate management regulations, which became effective since September 5, 2017. 
Within the meeting’s framework, a number of thematic meetings among Vietnamese and Lao localities were also held to remove obstacles facing them in the implementation of an agreement between the two governments on dealing with free migration and undocumented marriage along the shared border. 
Việt Nam and Laos agreed that in 2018, they will focus on co-operation in border management in line with the two newly signed border agreements and other joint projects relating to border affairs, while completing the designing of a master plan on developing Việt Nam-Lao border gates system by 2025 with a vision towards 2035. 
They will also work together to effectively conduct the agreement on settling issues related to free migration and undocumented marriage in border areas. 
Both sides agreed to organise the 28th meeting in Laos in the fourth quarter of 2018. — VNS