Laos - Vietnam relations increasingly intensified: Vientiane Times

Highlighting the two countries’ close-knit and long-standing neighbourliness and solidarity, the writing cited late Lao President Kaysone Phomvihane as saying that in the history of world revolution, there were many bright examples of the international proletariat sentiment, but there had never been such particularly durable and comprehensive solidarity like the Laos - Vietnam relations.

The 1962 Geneva agreement for Laos created conditions for the two countries to officially set up diplomatic ties on September 5, 1962. After Laos gained complete independence in 1975, they signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation in 1977.

Vientiane Times said this year, the countries mark the 60th anniversary of their diplomatic relations and 45 years since the signing of the Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation. This is an occasion to recall the Ho Chi Minh Trail that traversed five Lao provinces in the western side of Truong Son Mountain Range.

President Kaysone Phomvihane used to say that the Ho Chi Minh Trail created optimal conditions for the liberation of southern Vietnam and momentum for the Lao revolution, which respectively came to success in April 1975 and December 1975, according to the newspaper.

Today, new generations of Vietnam and Laos greatly treasure their countries’ special relations and always feel secure about the future of this neighbourliness, the article noted, adding that it is the heritage of sacrifices by revolutionary veterans as well as the wisdom and vision of Presidents Kaysone Phomvihane and Souphanouvong of Laos and Ho Chi Minh of Vietnam.