Vietnam, Laos wish for stronger parliamentary cooperation

The talks between the top legislators of Vietnam and Laos.

Vietnamese National Assembly (NA) Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan and her Lao counterpart Pany Yathotou held talks in Vientiane on September 26 as part of the former’s ongoing trip to Laos.

The top Vietnamese legislator extended her sympathy to the Lao Party, State and people over the human and property losses caused by recent floods six central and southern Lao provinces. A number of Vietnamese representative offices in Laos alongside the Vietnamese community in Laos, Vietnamese localities, ministries and departments have been launched a wide range of fund-raising activities to support the Lao people, Ngan told her host.

She assured Vietnam’s willingness to help Laos deal with flood consequences whilst hoping that the Lao people in the flood-hit areas will soon overcome difficulties to resume production and daily life.

While discussing bilateral cooperation, the Lao NA leader highlighted the significance of all-level delegation exchange for the settlement of issues that need closer coordination, especially in the economy.

She asked both nations to supplement some agreements to make it legally easier for bilateral cooperation in such key areas as transport, telecom, electricity, and trade as well as the implementation of some Vietnamese investment projects in Laos.

During the talks, the two NA leaders showed their appreciation for the cooperation between the two legislatures and the result-oriented realization of agreements reached during the visit to Vietnam by the top Lao legislator in March 2019.

Vietnamese NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan at the talks.

For instance, the Vietnamese and Lao legislative bodies have urged the two governments to deal with proposals of the two committees for external relations on free migration and undocumented marriage in the two countries’ shared border areas.

Pany Yathotou said she hopes the two NAs would continue directing ministries and localities to address the remaining cases before the agreement expires in November this year.

Since the beginning of this year, the two sides have organized a number of workshops and delegation exchanges to share professional information and experience.

They also concurred to augment cooperation between the two law-making bodies and people’s councils at the provincial level.

Ngan thanked Laos for supporting Vietnam in becoming a non-permanent member of the UN Security Council for 2020-2021, and wished that Laos would continue backing Vietnam in this position as well as the Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) in 2020.

Lao National Assembly Chairwoman Pany Yathotou.

She hoped for Laos’ strengthened coordination with Vietnam at regional and international parliamentary forums such as AIPA, the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU), the ASEAN People Forum (APF), and the Asia-Pacific Parliamentary Forum (APPF).

Regarding the East Sea issue, both top legislators agreed upon the stance on maintaining and protecting peace, stability, cooperation and development in the East Sea as well as settling disputes in the East Sea via peaceful means, in accordance with international law,

including the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), fully and effectively implementing the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the East Sea (DOC), and joining ASEAN member states to expedite the building of a Code of Conduct in the East Sea (COC) for common benefits in the region and for peace and stability in the world as a whole.

NA Chairwoman Ngan invited her Lao counterpart Pany Yatotou to visit Vietnam, and her invitation was graciously accepted. The date of the trip will be arranged through diplomatic channels.

The top Vietnamese legislator (L) meets with Lao Prime Minister Thoongloun Sisulith.

Late in the afternoon, Ngan and her delegation had a meeting with Lao Prime Minister Thoongloun Sisulith.