The Quang Tri provincial People’s Committee held a conference on May 29 to sum up the implementation of sister relations between the central province and two Lao provinces of Savannakhet and Salavan.

Attending the conference were representatives from the two Ministries of National Defence, the High Command of Border Guard and the National Border Committee, leaders of the three provinces, together with representatives from 23 pairs of sister villages between Quang Tri and Savannakhet and Salavan.

Chairman of the Quang Tri provincial People’s Committee, Nguyen Duc Cuong, said that the sister relationship is a sound policy of the two Governments, which affirms the position and important role of people in the cause of constructing and defending the sovereignty and security along the national border of Vietnam and Laos .

Quang Tri province shares 206 kilometres of borderline with Savannakhet and Salavan. The border line runs through Quang Tri’s Huong Hoa and Dakrong districts and Savannakhet’s Sepon, Muong Nong districts and Samuoi district of Salavan.

In April, 2005, Huong Hoa district’s Ka Tang village and Densavan village of Sepon district became the first sister villages of the three provinces. To date, there are 23 pairs of sister villages. After more than five years of implementation, the policy has brought practical effects, contributing to political stability in border areas, strengthening the two countries’ relations. The policy also helped boost socio-economic development and improve living conditions for local people.

Deputy Political Commissar of the High Command of Border Guard, Maj. Gen. Vu Hiep Binh, said that in future the model of sister villages will be established in all border areas between Vietnam and other countries.-VNA