US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her visiting Lao couterpart Thongloun Sisoulith have agreed to boost cooperative ties between the two countries in the coming time.

In a joint statement issued after their meeting in Washington DC on July 13, the two sides emphasised that increasing exchanges and cooperation between the US and Laos are producing mutual benefits and a constructive relationship contributing to peace, stability and cooperation for development in the region and the world.

They welcomed the signing of an "Air Transport Agreement between the US and Laos " that will facilitate greater trade and tourism exchanges.

Additionally, they also discussed the opportunities to expand the role of the US Agency for International Development in Laos .

The joint statement said that the US and Laos continue their longtime cooperation in the search for Americans missing from the Indochina War, on clearance of unexploded ordnance remaining from the war, and on fighting drug addiction and illegal drug trafficking.

More recently, the two countries have been working closely together on preventing the emergence of pandemic diseases, and continue to gradually expand military-to-military cooperation following the exchange of defense attachés.

While expressing his sincere thanks for the warm welcome extended him and his delegation, Foreign Minister Thongloun invited Secretary Clinton to pay an official visit to Laos at a convenient time./.