Laos, DPRK eye incentive economic cooperation ties
Laos, DPRK eye incentive economic cooperation ties
The governments of Laos and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) look set to boost bilateral cooperation ties on economy, trade and science and technology, following a working visit of senior DPRK officials to Laos this week.
A meeting between the government officials of Laos and the DPRK was held at the Ministry of Industry and Commerce in Vientiane yesterday as it marked a significant objective of the two nations to further talks on economic cooperation ties.
The group of 15 senior officials of the DPRK was led by the Minister of External Economic Relations Mr Ri Ryong Nam when they met with Minister of Industry and Commerce Ms Khemmani Pholsena and other senior Lao officials.
As part of the purpose behind the four-day working visit to Laos from October 21-24, the delegation from the DPRK seeks to discuss and exchange ideas on bilateral cooperation in the areas of trade, science and technology.
Speaking at yesterday's meeting Ms Khemmani said the working visit of the high ranking officials from the DPRK coincides with preparations for several important events in Laos including the celebration of the 40th anniversary of Laos and the 60th anniversary of the founding of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party.
“Both sides established a joint cooperation commission on economy, trade, science and technology in 2009 after signing a cooperation agreement in 2008,” she said.
Ms Khemmani also said that since the inception of the cooperation commission, the two sides have met with each other four times with this being the biggest ever delegation from the DPRK to come to Laos.
During the meeting, the two sides also exchanged overviews on economic cooperation and updated the economic outlook and development situations in Laos and the DPRK.
The DPRK officials also heard about the presentation of Lao investment policies in different fields relating to outstanding sectors including mining, energy, agriculture and others.
At the same time the Lao officials were given a presentation on the use of lignite to generate electricity in the DPRK.
Several other issues discussed at the meeting covered the possibility of cooperation on civil aviation, science and technology, agriculture, science and technology in agriculture, coal extraction and other minerals.
After the meeting, the DPRK officials paid courtesy visits to the V ice President of Laos Mr Bounnhang Vorachit, Deputy Prime Minister Mr Somsavat Lengsavad and Minister of Science and Technology Prof. Dr Boviengkham Vongdara.
Both sides will sign a record of the visit of the delegation from the DPRK today as a reference to monitor and promote bilateral cooperation ties between Laos and the DPRK in the future.
Laos and the DPRK established diplomatic ties in 1974 and bilateral relations and official exchanges of visits have been regularly on the rise since the 1990s.
