Delegates at the meeting (Photo: VNA) Vientiane (VNA) – The Party, State, and Defence Ministry of Laos held a grand ceremony in Vientiane on December 26 to mark the 70th anniversary of the traditional day of Vietnamese volunteer soldiers and experts in Laos (October 30, 1949).
Addressing the event, General Chansamone Chanyalath, Politburo member and Minister of Defence, said hundreds of thousands of Vietnamese people volunteered to perform international missions in Laos 70 years ago.
Vietnamese soldiers and experts stood side by side with the Lao counterparts to fight foreign invaders, he said.
He affirmed that the Lao Party, State, army and people always remember the sacrifice of Vietnamese soldiers for Laos’ national independence.
He thanked the Vietnamese Party, State, army and people for supporting Laos in the past and at present.
The Lao Defence Minister extended his special thanks to former Vietnamese soldiers and experts who performed international missions in Laos and made remarkable contributions to the two countries’ revolutionary cause.
For his part, General Ngo Xuan Lich, Politburo member, Deputy Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of Defence of Vietnam, highlighted the significance of the ceremony, while stressing the special solidarity and faithful relations between Vietnamese and Lao Parties, States, armies, and peoples.
He said in the context of complicated developments in the region and the world, Vietnam will continue sparing no effort to nurture the long-standing relations with Laos across politics, economy, culture, education, health care, science-technology, defence-security, and external affairs.
He called on the two countries to step up cooperation in the field of defence and security to maintain an environment of peace and stability for socio-economic development in each country, while closely working together in building and protecting the Vietnam-Laos shared border of peace, friendship, stability, and prosperous development.
The two sides should enhance coordination to prevent cross-border trafficking crimes, and organise border friendly exchanges to increase mutual understanding and trust, he suggested.
Vietnam and Laos should focus on improving cooperation in the Party and political work in addition to coordinating to defeat all plots of destroying and separating the sound relations between the two countries.
Minister Lich also recommended intensifying cooperation in prevention and settlement of natural disaster consequences, as well as search and repatriation of remains of Vietnamese fallen soldiers and experts in Laos./.
VNA
