Party Secretary General and State President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith speaks at the meeting. (Photo: VNA) Vientiane (VNA) – Laos held a state-level meeting on January 19 to celebrate the 75th founding anniversary of the Lao People’s Army (LPA).
Participants at the event included Party Secretary General and State President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith, Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence General Chansamone Chanyalath, incumbent and former Party and State leaders, army officers and guests.
Speaking at the meeting, Party Secretary General and State President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith reviewed the 75-year history and tradition of the LPA.
He emphasised that the establishment and the development of the army have been associated with the development of the Lao national-democratic revolution as well as the revolutionary movement and the combat alliance of the three countries of Laos, Vietnam, and Cambodia on the principle of equality, mutual assistance and respect for each other's sovereignty.
On that basis, the Lao armed forces have coordinated closely with Vietnamese voluntary soldiers to launch many campaigns and liberate many regions across the country, he stressed.
The Lao army directly coordinated with Vietnam in the Dien Bien Phu campaign that forced the French colonials to sign the Geneva Agreement in 1954 on restoring peace in the Indochinese countries and recognising the independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity of Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia, he said.
Party Secretary General and President of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith greets his predecessor Bounnhang Vorachith (centre) at the meeting. (Photo: VNA) On behalf of the Party, Government, Army and people of Laos, the leader expressed his deep gratitude to people of Lao ethnic groups, overseas Lao people and international peace-loving friends for supporting the LPA during the past struggle for national liberation as well as the current causse of national protection, construction and development.
He also emphasised that the Party, Government, Army and people of Laos will always remember the traditional combat alliance and the valuable support and assistance of Vietnamese armed forces and voluntary soldiers in the fight against the common enemies.
The top leader affirmed that all achievements, victories, and development of the Lao army over the past 75 years have been associated with the support from the militaries and governments of friend countries, especially the Party, Government, Army and people of Vietnam./.
