Director of the VPA’s General Department of Politics Sen. Lieut. Gen Lương Cường. — VNA/VNS Photo

VIENTIANE — Lao leaders have hailed the cooperation between the armies of Việt Nam and Laos during their meetings on Tuesday in Vientiane with a high-ranking delegation from the Việt Nam People’s Army (VPA) led by Director of the VPA’s General Department of Politics Sen. Lieut. Gen Lương Cường.

The VPA delegation met with General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith and Defence Minister Sen. Lieut. Gen Chansamone Chanyalath during their official visit to Laos.

The Lao leaders welcomed the visit of the VPA delegation and the outcomes of the talks between the delegation and a delegation of political officers of the Lao People’s Army.

They said the armies of the two countries should strengthen co-operation across fields, especially in Party and political work in the current situation, in order to defeat all attempts to undermine and break up the special traditional friendship between the two countries.

The Lao leaders also emphasised the need to educate younger generations on the special ties between the two countries so that they will continue to nurture the relationship.

Party General Secretary and President of Laos Bounnhang Vorachith affirmed that he will continue to support and facilitate defence ties between the two countries.

Cường said the VPA’s General Department of Politics will continue to work closely and effectively with their Lao counterpart to strengthen the political and Party ideological position in the army, contributing to enhancing the defence partnership and the relations between the two armies and countries.

Earlier the same day, Cường held talks with Sen. Lieut. Gen. Vilay Lakhamphong, Deputy Defence Minister and Director of the General Department of Politics of the Lao People’s Army.

At the talks, the two sides shared the view that the two General Departments of Politics have collaborated closely in instructing the responsible and effective implementation of the protocol for 2015-19 and the plans on coperation between the two defence ministries and General Departments of Politics.

They agreed that bilateral co-operation will focus on consolidating the direct and absolute leadership of the two Parties over the two armies, thus further cementing the mutual trust and effective co-operation between the two Parties, States, peoples and armies, maintaining a peaceful and stable environment for development in each country and defeating all conspiracies aimed at separating the Việt Nam-Laos traditional friendship.

The two sides decided to intensify education campaigns to raise the understanding of army officers and soldiers about the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation between the two countries and armies.

They vowed to work together to enhance the quality of training of high-ranking officers for the two armies, accelerate the search for and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts who died in Laos during wartime while maintaining mutual visits and cultural and sports exchanges.

The two sides noted the need to collaborate to design plans for communication activities on the 70th founding anniversary of the Lao People’s Army and the 75th anniversary of the Việt Nam People’s Army in 2019.

Also on Tuesday, the VPA delegation paid floral tribute at the monument to fallen soldiers in Vientiane. They are scheduled to visit a number of units of the Lao People’s Army on Wednesday. — VNS