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	The Mekong River Commission council was scheduled to announce Thursday whether a consensus was reached on the dam at its meeting in Siem Reap, Cambodia, among the four nations lying along the lower section of South-East Asia&#39;s longest waterway.</div>
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	Under a 1995 agreement, the four countries must consult on all dam projects on the Mekong and reach a consensus before proceeding.</div>
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	Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam had asked Laos in April to delay the Xayaburi project until a proper environmental impact study could be conducted, especially on the river&#39;s fisheries and sediment flow. //DPA</div>

Mekong River ministers meet to decide fate of Lao dam

A closed-door meeting of Mekong River countries kicked off Wednesday to decide the fate of a dam planned in central Laos that critics said threatens the livelihoods of millions of people dependant on the river.