Gov’t leader meets with chief of Lao army’s general staff
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosted a reception in Hanoi on May 14 for Sen. Lt. Gen. Suvon Luongbunmi, Deputy Defence Minister and Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People’s Army, who is on an official visit to Vietnam.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) presents a gift to Sen. Lt. Gen. Suvon Luongbunmi, Deputy Defence Minister and Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People’s Army, at their meeting on May 14 (Photo: VNA)
Hanoi (VNA) – Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc hosteda reception in Hanoi on May 14 for Sen. Lt. Gen. Suvon Luongbunmi, DeputyDefence Minister and Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People’s Army, whois on an official visit to Vietnam.
PM Phuc highlighted the profound relationshipbetween the two Parties, States, armies and peoples, noting that throughouthistory, the Vietnamese army and people have always stood side by side withtheir Lao counterparts in all circumstances.
Sen. Lt. Gen. Luongbunmi briefed his host aboutthe outcomes of his talks with Sen. Lt. Gen. Phan Van Giang, Deputy DefenceMinister and Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army.
The two sides reviewed cooperation in 2017 anddiscussed concrete cooperation orientations for this year and the time ahead,he said, elaborating that the two defence ministries worked together in allaspects last year. Notably, the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence hasactively helped the Lao army to build forces, thus greatly contributing to thesocio-economic development of Laos.
The two sides have also carried out a number ofjoint activities to improve living standards of residents in their countries’border areas, which has been strongly supported by Vietnamese and Lao people,he noted.
In the coming time, they will increasecollaboration in personnel training and building the Vietnam-Laos boundary intoa border of stability and comprehensive development, the officer said.
Applauding the two defence ministries’cooperation, PM Phuc asked them to enhance connections to help intensify thecountries’ friendship.
Meanwhile, he said, as Vietnam and Laos share along borderline which mainly traverses mountainous and disadvantaged areas, thecountries should step up joint activities between their armies and securityforces to maintain peace, security, order and friendship along the border.
Aside from efforts to improve border residents’living standards, the two armies also need to bolster ties in the fight againsthuman trafficking and drug crimes, as well as in personnel training, he added.
The PM voiced his belief that the finerelationship between the armies will fortify the trust and all-round cooperationbetween the two Parties, States, and peoples while ensuring peace, stabilityand political security for each country’s development.-VNA
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Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (R) presents a gift to Sen. Lt. Gen. Suvon Luongbunmi, Deputy Defence Minister and Chief of the General Staff of the Lao People’s Army, at their meeting on May 14 (Photo: VNA) 
