The legislative bodies of Vietnam and Thailand have reach a high degree of consensus on how to develop their cooperation through specific activities, including the exchange of delegations and experience, and joint supervision of governmental agreements and programmes.

The consensus was reached at talks in Hanoi on Oct. 10 between National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung and President of the Thai National Assembly and Speaker of the Thai House of Representatives Somsak Kiatsuranont.

Chairman Hung expressed his sympathy over heavy losses the Thai people are suffering from recent floods.

He congratulated Thailand on its recent achievements and said he believed that with political stability, the neighbouring country will see further development in the future.

Somsak Kiatsuranont highlighted the special traditional friendship between Vietnam and Thailand with evidence from the period of President Ho Chi Minh’s operation in Thailand .

He expressed his wish that relations will be preserved and promoted through new achievements.

The Thai legislative leader said his country seeks to develop relations with neigbouring countries. His current visit is expected to further promote cooperation between the two parliaments and increase friendship between the two governments and peoples.

He asked the two countries to set specific goals for their cooperative programmes and join hands in implementing the common goal of building a strong ASEAN Community by 2015, in order to obtain efficiency in the relations.

He proposed that Vietnam and Thailand , the world’s leading rice exporters, work closely in the field for the interests of each side and to ensure the world’s food security.
The two sides agreed to boost cooperation in rice production, processing and export.

Also the same day, Somsak Kiatsuranont was received by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who extended his sympathy over the Thai people’s heavy losses in lives and property caused by floods.

He expressed his pleasure with the development of the two countries’ relations in all fields, affirming that Vietnam attaches importance to cooperation with Thailand , especially in rice production to ensure food security as well as improve people’s lives, contributing to peace, stability and development of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

He welcomed a upcoming visit to Vietnam by Thai Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

He asked the two countries to work closely in using Mekong River water in an efficient and sustainable manner.

He said the Vietnamese Government highly valued the friendly cooperation between the two countries’ legislative bodies.

President Somsak Kiatsuranont said he wished relations between the two legislative bodies and the two governments will be enhanced, with cooperation in all fields for the development of each country, contributing to peace, stability and development of the region and the world.

The two countries would discuss specific cooperation requests, especially in economics, trade and investment, during the visit to Vietnam by Prime Minister Yingluck next week, the president said./.