PM Dung paid a courtesy visit to Lao Party General Secretary and President Choummaly Sayanone, met with Chairman of the National Assembly Thongsinh Thammavong, and held talks with PM Bouasone Bouphavanh. He later witnessed the signing of economic cooperation documents between the two countries. He also received a delegation of the Executive Board of the Laos-Viet Nam Friendship Association, met with the staff of the Vietnamese Embassy to Laos and paid a floral tribute to war fallen combatants.

Leaders of the Lao Party, State and National Assembly expressed pleasure at the fine development of the two countries' relations, particularly after the two countries successfully organised their Party Congresses. The two countries' economic, commercial and investment relations have seen positive changes for higher effectiveness, they noted.

PM Dung informed the Lao Party, State and National Assembly leaders of the results of his talks with PM Bouasone Bouphavanh and Viet Nam's on-going active preparations for the annual meeting between the political bureaus of the two Parties early next year in Viet Nam and the 29th session of the inter-governmental committee for economic, cultural and scientific and technical cooperation between the two countries.

Earlier at their talks, the two PMs expressed their satisfaction to see the two countries' traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation to be constantly strengthened and developed in all fields. Especially, the two countries' economic, commercial and investment cooperation has obtained initial encouraging achievements.

They affirmed their determination to join efforts to build up mechanism and policies for effective exploitation of the two countries' potentials, promote effective cooperation in economy, culture, science and technology in the new stage.

The two sides agreed on the need to promote the exchange of delegations from sectors and localities as well as mass organisations of the two countries.

On international and regional situation, they expressed their pleasure at the close cooperation and mutual support in foreign affairs including the information exchange and consultation at fora of the United Nations, the Francophone Organisation, the Non-Aligned Movement, ASEAN, ASEM and others.

They stressed that in the current international and regional situation, the two countries should further promote effective cooperation in implementing projects on the East-West corridor, enlarged Mekong sub-region cooperation, ACMECS, CLMV. They affirmed their determination to cooperate with Cambodia to build the Cambodia-Laos-Viet Nam Development Triangle.

Later the same day, the two PMs witnessed the singing of the supplement to the energy agreement between the two governments, memorandums of understanding on the Sekaman 0 and 4 hydro-power development projects with a total capacity of 104 MW, iron and tin exploration, rubber planting and an agreement on preferential tariff.

On Dec. 20, PM Dung will meet with Vice President Bounnhang Volachit, attend the inaugural ceremony of the Friendship Bridge 2, which is the second bridge across the Mekong River to link Laos with Thailand. It was built with loans from the Japanese Bank for International Cooperation (JBIC) to facilitate economic and commercial exchange between the two countries and contribute to promoting the East-West Corridor transport network.

PM Dung and his delegation is scheduled to leave Vientiane for Bangkok on Dec. 20 for an official visit to Thailand at the invitation of Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont./.