Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov is paying a two-day visit to the Lao PDR (Jul 6-7).
He met with his Lao counterpart Saleumxay Kommasith in Vientiane on Jul 7 to review cooperation under a bilateral and multilateral frameworks over the past years.
Both ministers noted that the relations have been strengthened constantly on the basis of mutual understanding and mutual assistance, longstanding friendship and cooperation.
This year marks the 10th anniversary of the signing of Laos-Russia Declaration on Strategic Partnership in the Asia Pacific Region.
Both sides agreed to promote bilateral relations and cooperation in various areas namely economic and trade, investment, energy, education, national defense, science and technology, and tourism.
Both sides highly valued their cooperation under the Asean-Russia framework noting that Russia has provided assistance to ASEAN in various areas including politics and security, economics, and social and cultural areas, anti-transnational crime efforts, trade and investment, energy and disaster prevention thus enabling ASEAN to better cope with challenges and promote development in the region.
They also expressed support to each other in tackling international issues and challenges.
On this occasion, Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith expressed on behalf of the government of the Lao PDR heartfelt gratitude to the priceless assistance the government and people of Russia has provided to Laos over the past years especially on human resource development, military technology, humanitarian aid, covid-19 test equipment, and Sputnik V vaccine.
The Russian Foreign Minister also pinned a Friendship Medal on Minister Saleumxay in recognition of his active contribution to strengthening the longstanding friendship and cooperation between Laos and Russia and the Laos-Russia Strategic Partnership in recent years.
The visiting Russian Minister also paid a courtesy call to President Thongloun Sisoulith and Prime Minister Phankham Viphavanh on the same day.
Source: Lao News Agency