Laos President Thongloun Sisoulith (right) and his Mongolian counterpart Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh inspect a guard of honour at the welcome ceremony in Ulaanbaatar. - Vientiane Times/ANN
VIENTIANE: President Thongloun Sisoulith and his host Mongolian counterpart Ukhnaagiin Khurelsukh have agreed to enhance ties and broaden cooperation between the two landlocked countries.
The Lao leader, his wife and a government delegation are paying a two-day state visit to Mongolia on June 11-12 in response to an invitation from the Mongolian leader, the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release.
The visit is aimed at bolstering the longstanding friendly relations and cooperation between Laos and Mongolia.
During talks held shortly after an official welcome ceremony, the two leaders agreed to push for enhanced relations and greater cooperation in the economic and trade spheres, based on the special potential of the two countries in areas such as agriculture, services, transport and tourism.
The two presidents outlined plans for future cooperation in politics, defence, agriculture, education and public health.
They observed that Laos and Mongolia enjoyed mutual trust and had extended reciprocal support, while the leaders of the two countries have maintained regular contacts and visits.
The heads of state said they highly valued the close relations between Laos and Mongolia that had been nurtured and developed over the past six decades.
They briefed each other on socio-economic developments in their respective countries, shared views on global issues of common interest, and pledged to extend mutual support in the regional and international arenas.
Welcoming the Lao leader, President Ukhnaagiin said he greatly appreciated his Lao counterpart’s visit, which he said would contribute to enhancing bilateral relations and cooperation.
The Lao leader thanked him for the warm hospitality shown to himself and his delegation and invited Mongolian investors to do business in Laos in areas such as agriculture and the processing of farm products.
President Thongloun also invited the people of Mongolia to visit Laos during Visit Laos Year 2024 and expressed heartfelt gratitude to the government and people of Mongolia for their assistance and support to Laos over past years.
After their talks, the two presidents witnessed the signing of three agreements related to cooperation on civil servant management, public health, and sanitary and phytosanitary standards to facilitate the export of meat from Mongolia to Laos. - Vientiane Times/ANN
