General Phan Van Giang, Minister of National Defence of Vietnam and General Chansamone Chanyalath, Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence witness a joint patrol by border guards of the two countries within the framework of the first Vietnam – Laos border defence friendship exchange. (Photo: VNA) Quang Tri (VNA) – The Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence is ready tosupport Laos in terms of manpower and resources as the COVID-19 pandemic has still been developing complicatedly in both countries, Minister of National Defence General Phan Van Giang has said.
Giang made thestatement at the high-level talks between the defence ministries of Vietnam and Laos withinthe framework of the first Vietnam-Laos border defence friendship exchangein the central province of Quang Tri on December 12.
He also emphasised the need to enhance the relationship between the armies ofVietnam, Laos and Cambodia, including the maintenance of the annual meeting betweenthe three defence ministers.
For his part, Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defence GeneralChansamone Chanyalath expressedhis delight when the defence ministries of the two countries has successfullyorganised the Vietnam-Laos border defence friendship exchange for the firsttime, saying this is an important milestone of the bilateral securitycooperation, contributing to raising the relationship to a new height.
The meeting reflected the close friendship and solidarity between the two defence ministries, hesaid.
At themeeting, the two sides appreciated the results of the 2nd Defence PolicyDialogue, affirming that this is a very important mechanism to unify acommon perception on regional security issues of mutual concern.
They alsoassessed the results of defence cooperation in the past time and set forthcooperation orientations in the coming time.
The two sides held that although the COVID-19 pandemic remained complicated, defence cooperationbetween the two countries has been effectively implemented and achieved manypositive results such as the signing ofagreements on cooperation in rescue and relief, training cooperation and mutualassistance, especially in the prevention and control of COVID-19. Inparticular, the two sides successfully organissed the first Vietnam-Laosborder defence friendship exchange which is considered as one of the key activities in the 2021 cooperation plan between the two defence ministries.
Regardingcooperation orientations in the future, the two defence ministries reached consensus on contents discussed at the previous DefencePolicy Dialogue at the deputy ministerial level. They underlined the need to step up communications toraise awareness among soldiers and people of the two countries on the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos; collaborate in organising training courses toimprove capacity for its officers; and maintain existing cooperation mechanisms aswell as supporting each other in the fight against COVID-19.
After the talks, the ministers signed a protocol of cooperation on rescue and relief and the Vietnam-Laos Defence Cooperation Plan for 2022 between the two defence ministries.
Theyalso witnessed the signing of the Border Defence Cooperation Agreement betweenthe Vietnam Border Guard Command and the General Department of Security and theGeneral Department of Police under the Ministry of Security of Laos./.
