BISHKEK, Kyrgyzstan: President Thongloun Sisoulith and his Belarusian counterpart Alexander Lukashenko have agreed to further strengthen bilateral cooperation and turn existing agreements into concrete projects and results.
The leaders met on September 1 on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Plus Dialogue Partners Meeting (SCO Plus) held in Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan, the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a press release.
The two leaders said they highly valued the growing bilateral relations and discussed future cooperation, with a focus on carrying out projects previously agreed between the two countries.
Priority areas include economic matters, trade, investment, banking and finance, education, culture, tourism and public health.
They also agreed to continue consultations through existing cooperation mechanisms to facilitate the implementation of bilateral projects and deliver greater practical benefits to the peoples of Laos and Belarus.
The two presidents noted that bilateral relations and cooperation have continued to expand steadily, particularly in the political and security fields.
They agreed to continue reciprocal visits by delegations of various levels as part of efforts to strengthen ties between the two countries.
President Thongloun expressed his pleasure at meeting President Lukashenko again following their previous meeting in Kazan, Russia, in October 2024.
President Thongloun also expressed his sincere thanks to President Lukashenko and the Belarusian government for supporting Laos’ accession as a Dialogue Partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation.
He affirmed that Laos would continue to actively contribute to the forum in accordance with its capacity and conditions.
President Lukashenko congratulated President Thongloun on his re-election as President of Laos for another term and invited him to pay an official visit to Belarus at a mutually convenient time.
President Lukashenko reaffirmed Belarus’ determination to develop the long-standing friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries, with the aim of making bilateral ties stronger, deeper and more fruitful.
The latest meeting reflects the two countries’ efforts to further strengthen their relations while translating existing cooperation agreements into more tangible outcomes. - Vientiane Times/ANN
