HÀ NỘI — Defence Minister General Ngô Xuân Lịch on Friday held talks with his Lao counterpart Chansamone Chanyalath, who is here for a working visit from December 19-23 and to attend the 30th All-People Defence Festival and 75th founding anniversary of the Việt Nam People’s Army.

At the event, Lich affirmed that the Cambodian minister’s visit is important to review the results of the cooperation between the two defence ministries during 2015-2019 and outline directions for the period from 2020-2024, as well as help enhance the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States, peoples and armies.

The two sides informed each other on the political, socio-economic and defence-security situations in their respective countries, and shared the view that defence cooperation has enjoyed fruitful results, with competent agencies joining hands to fully carry out the protocol on defence collaboration, and yearly cooperative plans.

They stressed that both armies have worked together to complete bilateral defence cooperative mechanisms, and signed new collaborative agreements meeting their needs in several fields such as training, rescue work, military laws, and organisation of defence policy exchange at the deputy ministerial level.

The two armies have maintained experience sharing in Party and political work, held meetings of Lao military alumni, friendship border exchanges and drills on preventing illegal immigration, as well as collaboration to ensure security and social order in border areas.

Both ministers affirmed efforts to consolidate the Việt Nam-Laos relations and the solidarity among Việt Nam, Laos and Cambodia, and agreed to step up communications to raise the awareness of military personnel and people in general about the friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, States, peoples and armies.

General Lịch and General Chansamone Chanyalath signed a protocol on cooperation during 2020-2024 and a cooperative plan for 2020 between the two defence ministries. — VNS