Myanmar, Lao foreign ministries meet in Bagan

3/11/2009

YANGON, Nov. 3 (Xinhua) -- Foreign ministries of Myanmar and Laos have held a consultation meeting in Myanmar's ancient city of Bagan, the official newspaper New Light of Myanmar reported Tuesday.

The 5th Bilateral Consultation Meeting between foreign ministries of the two countries last weekend was attended by Myanmar delegation, led by Deputy Foreign Minister U Maung Myint and Lao delegation, headed by Vice Foreign Minister Bounkeut Sangsomsak.

The two sides discussed matters relating to further strengthening of friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries as well as enhancing mutual cooperation in regional and international forums, the report said.

In February this year, regional border committee of the two countries at deputy foreign minister level met for the first time in Myanmar's border town of Tachilek in eastern Shan state to step up bilateral cooperation in dealing with border affairs

That meeting covered the issue of security along the border of the two countries, promotion of border trade and exchange of visits of peoples of the two countries.

In May this year, Myanmar and Laos reached a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in Nay Pyi Taw on establishing sister cities between Myanmar's ancient city of Bagan and Laos' Luang Prabang.

The plan for establishment of Bagan and Luang Prabang sister cities to boost tourism was initiated during a trip to Laos in November 2007 by Myanmar Prime Minister General Thein Sein.

During Thein Sein's 2007 trip, matters of building the Mekong Bridge, use of more checkpoints in Wanpon and Mong Maw border regions, visa exemption for those holding ordinary passports, cooperation among CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam) and the Greater Mekong Subregion as well as ASEAN charter were also touched upon.

In January 2007, Myanmar and Laos upgraded the two countries' respective border check points of Wan Pong in Tachilek of Myanmar's eastern Shan state and Ban Muang Mom on the Lao side to meet international standard to boost arrivals of world tourists and those from the third countries visiting the two border areas.

The Mekong River flows between the two towns as a border line.

Meanwhile, Myanmar and Laos have also been placing emphasis on cooperating in drug control and preventing trafficking of drugs and psychotropic substances.

Editor: Deng Shasha