Laos, Cambodia extend cooperation

Panyasith Thammavongsa
Vientiane Times
07-01-2010

Laos and Cambodia yesterday signed the agreed minutes of the 11th meeting of the Lao-Cambodian Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation and agreed to continue cooperation in the areas of politics and security.

Dr Thongloun Sisoulith ( right ) and Mr Hor Namhong shake hands after signing meeting minutes.

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Dr Thongloun Sisoulith and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of Cambodia Hor Namhong jointly co-chaired the meeting and signed the agreed minutes.

The meeting yesterday was held at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Vientiane .

According to a press release from the ministry, in particular the agreement will continue cooperation in border demarcation, and the protection of forests and biodiversity.

It will also help to prevent illegal trade and damage to natural resources while controlling the spread of disease.

Both sides will continue to survey their shared border over the 12 percent that remains unmarked.

The minutes also cover the building of a high voltage transmission line to link both countries, which both sides will speed up following a sales contract for electricity that was signed in 2007.

Laos and Cambodia will discuss the details of transport at the sub-region level to facilitate border travel as well as immigration checkpoints on both sides. The two sides will also re-examine air transportation arrangements.

They also agreed to enhance the potential for trade and goods exchange between people who live in border areas, as well as to reduce taxes in the triangle development area of Laos , Cambodia and Vietnam to boost development.

In the area of tourism cooperation, both sides will improve roads links to promote tourism, and resolve import-export regulations to facilitate the movement of people and vehicles of both countries as well as passing through a third country, especially southern Vietnam .

In the area of education, the two countries will enhance and extend student exchange programmes under a contract between both education ministries for the period 2009 to 2013. The contract will also facilitate the issuing of visas for students until they complete their studies.

In health cooperation, the Cambodian side expressed appreciation to Laos for helping in emergency treatment extended to Cambodian people living in border areas and asked Laos to continue this assistance.

After the signing ceremony in the morning, Mr Hor Namhong and his delegation visited Prime Minister Bouasone Bouphavanh at his office. Mr Hor Namhong also visited President Choummaly Xayasone at the Horkham Presidential Palace.

In the evening, Dr Thongloun Sisoulith hosted a dinner for Mr Hor Namhong and his delegation at the Don Chan Palace hotel. The Cambodian delegation leaves Vientiane today to return home.

The 12th meeting of the joint commission will be held in Cambodia in 2012.

Before the foreign ministers of Laos and Cambodia signed the agreement, the two Cambodian deputy ministers of foreign affairs also discussed bilateral cooperation with their Lao counterparts.