Lao Deputy Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith is receiving Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son   Photo Hoang Thanh Chuong/VNA

The 22 nd meeting of the Vietnamese and Lao border delegations took place in the Lao capital city of Vientiane on July 6.

The Vietnamese delegation was led by Deputy Foreign Minister Ho Xuan Son, and the Lao delegation was headed by Deputy Foreign Minister Bounkeut Sangsomsak.

The two sides agreed that they have coordinated well in the implementation of the Vietnam-Laos agreement on national border regulations, the minutes of the previous meeting and other relevant agreements.

The border situation was stable with social security and order maintained, facilitating local socio-economic development and consolidating the traditional friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two countries, they said.

However, they underlined the need for closer coordination between the two countries’ ministries, branches and localities in settling existing issues in border management.

The meeting reached consensus on the orientation for future cooperation, especially in cross-border travel management, to boost border trade development.

The two countries have completed the draft of an agreement between the Vietnamese and Laos Governments to deal with issues regarding free migration and unregistered marriages to be submitted to the two Governments for approval.

They committed to speeding up the implementation of a project to increase and upgrade border markers with works to be completed by 2014.

On this occasion, the Vietnamese delegation was received by Lao Deputy Prime Minister-cum-Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.

At the meeting, the Lao Deputy PM praised the two sides’ coordination in border management as well as the implementation of the border marker project.

He thanked the Vietnamese Government and people for their support for Laos in the cause of economic development and in organising international meetings, helping to raise Laos’ position in the world arena./.