Australian PM Anthony Albanese (fourth from left) with ASEAN leaders during the 2nd ASEAN-Australia Summit. (Photo: laotiantimes.com) Vientiane (VNA) – Lao Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh and his Australian counterpart Anthony Albanese have agreed to elevate the bilateral relationship between the two countries to a comprehensive partnership.
The announcement was made after the 2nd ASEAN-Australia Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, last week.
“This is a sign of the growing substance of our relationship and our commitment to expanding and strengthening cooperation,” the Australian PM was quoted by the Laotian Times as saying.
Albanese also expressed his desire to continue working with Lao partners to strive towards shared goals for the region.
The respective foreign ministers were asked to develop a plan to strengthen cooperation in line with the new comprehensive partnership, he said.
Laos and Australia established diplomatic relations on January 15, 1952. In October 2022, Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Saleumxay Kommasith met with Australian Minister for Foreign Affairs Penny Wong in Canberra to celebrate the longstanding partnership between the two nations.
The relations between Laos and Australia were built on mutual respect and understanding and the upgrade of the ties will explore more areas for bilateral and regional cooperation, including energy, climate and transnational crime, according to the newspaper./.
