A meeting to mark the Vietnam-Laos traditional combat alliance was heldin Sepon district, Savannakhet province, Laos on December 12.

Prominent figures at the event, which is part of the Vietnam-Laos 2012Friendship Year, included leaders and former leaders from the twocountries’ Parties and States, and representatives from ministries,agencies and Savannakhet province.

Addressing the event,Bounhang Vorachit, Vice State President and Head of the National“Laos-Vietnam Friendship Year” Steering Committee, stressed that thefriendship year between the two countries has become an importantsocio-political event in 2012.

It helps educate andtrain Laos ’ carders, Party members and people, especially the youngergeneration, to have a deeper awareness of the tradition, importance andthe need to further consolidate the special friendship, solidarity andcomprehensive cooperation between Laos and Vietnam , he added.

TheLao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP), State and people will continueto protect the special friendship and solidarity fostered bygenerations of Vietnamese and Lao heroes, soldiers and people. It willbe everlasting for the future generations, said Vorachit, who is alsoPolitburo member and permanent member of the LPRP’s Central CommitteeSecretariat.

For his part, Le Hong Anh, politburo memberand permanent member of the Communist Party of Vietnam’s CentralCommittee Secretariat, affirmed that Vietnam and Laos are twoclose neighbouring countries, the peoples of which have a long-lastingtraditional friendship.

Following the two countries’complete liberation in 1975, Vietnam-Laos relations turned into a newhistorical page – from an alliance of combat to comprehensivecooperation between two independent and sovereign countries, said Anh,who is also Head of the National “Vietnam-Laos Friendship Year” SteeringCommittee.

Despite regional and global developments,the Vietnam-Laos traditional friendship, special solidarity andcomprehensive cooperation - founded by President Ho Chi Minh, PresidentKayson Phomvihane and President Souphanouvong, and nourished by Partyand State leaders of the two countries – have continually strengthenedin all fields with diverse forms of cooperation, he added.

The Vietnamese Party, State and people are happy to see that under theleadership of LPRP, the Lao people have overcome difficulties andchallenges to reap fruitful achievements in politics, economics,culture, security, defence and external relations over the years,especially the implementation of the ninth Party Congress Resolution,Anh said.

At the meeting, Vietnam and Laoshistorical witnesses recalled memories of their alliance to combatcommon invaders for national liberation and unification.

The Vietnam-Laos friendship and special solidarity was an importantfactor in the two countries’ fight for national liberation as well asthe cause of national building and development, they said.-VNA