(Bqp.vn) - On December 18, Defense Minister General Phan Van Giang held talks with his Lao counterpart Senior Lieutenant General Khamliang Outhakaysone right after a welcome ceremony at the Headquarters of the Ministry of National Defense of Vietnam.
General Phan Van Giang welcoming Senior Lieutenant General Khamliang Outhakaysone.
The two defense ministers inspecting the Guard of Honor of the VPA.
General Phan Van Giang introducing the Vietnamese delegation to the guest.
Senior Lieutenant General Khamliang Outhakaysone introducing the members of the Lao delegation to General Phan Van Giang.
The two delegations in a joint photo.
Speaking at the talks, General Phan Van Giang congratulated Senior Lieutenant General Khamliang Outhakaysone on his appointment as the Lao defense minister. He believed that at his new position, Senior Lieutenant General Khamliang Outhakaysone would lead and direct the building of a more developing Lao People’s Army and the acceleration of the close ties between the two armies.
General Phan Van Giang speaking at the talks.
General Phan Van Giang also sent congratulations to the Lao Ministry of National Defense on successfully organizing the ASEAN Defense Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM), ADMM-Plus, and meetings among defense ministers of ASEAN and partner countries, making important contribution to the success of the ASEAN Chairmanship Year 2024, promoting solidarity and central role of ASEAN, as well as improving Laos’ position in the international arena.
Senior Lieutenant General Khamliang Outhakaysone speaking at the talks.
For his part, Senior Lieutenant General Khamliang Outhakaysone congratulated the VPA on its 80th birth anniversary, expressing his hope that the VPA would enjoy stronger development in the future.
Saying that Vietnam is his first overseas visit as the defense minister, Senior Lieutenant General Khamliang Outhakaysone emphasized that Lao always attaches to the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation with Vietnam.
During the talks.
During the talks, the two defense ministers spoke highly of the practical bilateral defense ties as one of the important pillars in the two countries’ relations, highlighting important results during the five-year implementation of the protocol on defense cooperation in the 2020 - 2024 period. They included higher strategic political trust, firmly-consolidated solidarity and closer ties between the two militaries, more diverse and spreading cooperation mechanisms and forms, better security and order in the shared border areas, expansion of human resources training cooperation, etc.
The two defense ministers signing the MoU on cooperation in military and defense law.
They agreed to concentrate on comprehensively and effectively implementing the protocol on defense cooperation in the 2025 - 2029 period and the cooperation plan for 2025. Accordingly, the two sides will promote all-level delegation exchanges, maintain the defense policy dialogue mechanism, and enhance cooperation in Party and political work with a focus on popularizing the importance and significance of the special Vietnam - Laos ties. They will also strengthen multilateral cooperation, maintain the annual meeting among three defense ministers of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, raise quality of training and human resources development cooperation, and further the ties in border management and protection.
