Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc (R) meets Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith in Hà Nội on Thursday. — VNA/VNS Photo Thống Nhất

HÀ NỘI — Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith has said that the Party, State, Government and people of Laos will do their best to help Việt Nam fulfill its role of ASEAN Chair 2020 and non-permanent member of the United Nations Security Council for 2020-21.

He made the statement during a reception hosted by Prime Minister Nguyễn Xuân Phúc in Hà Nội on Thursday.

Kommasith informed the PM about the success of the sixth political consultation between the two foreign ministries, saying both sides proposed measures to boost bilateral ties and raise mutual understanding.

He said the Vietnamese foreign ministry will share more experience with its Lao counterpart in economic diplomacy and global integration policies.

According to him, the two sides signed an action programme between their two foreign ministries on co-operation to boost economic diplomacy in 2020-25.

PM Phúc expressed his delight at the development of Việt Nam-Laos ties with regular visits this year.

The PM asked the two countries’ ministries, agencies and localities to soon review the implementation of the co-operation plan 2019, the bilateral co-operation agreement for 2016-20 and agreements reached by leaders.

He called for consensus on removing obstacles in several key projects, particularly with political and security significance.

The Lao government was asked to remove difficulties faced by Vietnamese firms and workers in Laos, update them about trade and investment incentives and ensure their legitimate rights.

As Việt Nam will serve as ASEAN Chair and a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council next year, the PM suggested the two sides increase consultations and mutual support, especially in security and strategic issues in the region, contributing to maintaining solidarity and ASEAN’s central role amid regional and global uncertainties.

Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith said the Lao Foreign Ministry along with other ministries and agencies will step up ties with Vietnamese ministries, agencies and localities, thus strengthening Việt Nam-Laos solidarity.

Border meeting

The 29th annual Việt Nam-Laos border meeting took place in Hà Nội the same day.

The Vietnamese delegation was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister and Chairman of the National Boundary Commission Lê Hoài Trung, while the Lao side was led by Foreign Minister and head of the Laos-Việt Nam Border Committee Saleumxay Kommasith.

Both sides reviewed the one-year implementation of the agreement on land border management regulations and border gates, the minutes of the 28th meeting and the government-level agreement on the settlement of free migration and undocumented marriages in border areas.

They also discussed issues arising after upgrades of Việt Nam-Laos border demarcation.

Both sides shared the view that the two countries’ authorities had worked closely together on border management in line with the Protocol on Việt Nam-Laos border mechanisms.

They also effectively realised transport connectivity projects, especially roads via border gates, the master plan on Việt Nam-Laos land border gate development, and the master plan on border markets.

Next year, they agreed to continue joint work to realise the Protocol on Việt Nam-Laos borderline and border markers, the agreement on land border management regulations and border gates, contributing to socio-economic development in combination with ensuring national defence of the two nations.

Concluding the event, they signed the minutes of the meeting and agreed to hold the 30th meeting in the fourth quarter of 2020 in Laos. — VNS