Laos, Cambodia agree to boost cooperation
PHNOM PENH - Laos and Cambodia have agreed to continue strengthening cooperation and developing land links to enhance trade and investment between the two nations.
The plans arose from a meeting between Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and his Cambodian counterpart Hun Sen when Thongloun visited Cambodia from June 27-28.
According to Laos’ Foreign Ministry, both sides agreed on several fields of cooperation and are opening general consulates.
The Lao consulate will be located in Stung Treng province of Cambodia and will open on June 30, while the Cambodian consulate in Champassak province will open on July 1.
During the meeting, the two prime ministers said they highly valued the achievements in cooperation that had continued to increase after exchange visits by heads of state, heads of government and other high-ranking officials of the two countries.
Both sides are planning an official opening ceremony of international border checkpoints at the Nong Nok Khiene area in Champassak province and the Trapeang Kriel area in Cambodia’s Stung Treng province by the end of this year.
Another plan supported by both countries is to build a 145-metre bridge across the Xe Lam Phao River in Champassak’s Mounlapamok district to connect to Cambodia.
A 78km road linking Mounlapamok district to the Xe Lam Phao bridge is also planned.
Both sides agreed to promote investment and trade cooperation between their neighbouring provinces after bilateral trade reached US$24.5 million (Bt865 million) last year.
In the field of education, it was agreed to increase government-to-government bachelor degree exchange scholarships to 15 annually.
The two countries will continue to cooperate on border security and prevent the illegal trade in timber and drugs in border areas. They also agreed to speed up border demarcation.
On regional issues, both sides agreed to assist and support each other through groupings such as Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam; Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam; the Ayeyawaddy-Chao Phraya Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy; Asean; the UN; and the Greater Mekong Subregion.
Thongloun will attend a CLV meeting that Cambodia will host in November.
He invited Prime Minister Hun Sen to visit Laos at a convenient time and to attend the Asean Summit that Laos will host this year.
