VIENTIANE: Lao and Vietnamese security forces have conducted a joint exercise simulating the interception and arrest of armed drug traffickers operating across the Laos-Vietnam border.
The exercise was held at the Cha Lo immigration station in Quang Tri province, Vietnam, on the Laos-Vietnam border, which links to the Na Phao immigration station in Khammuan province.
The drill was organised by the Military Command and Public Security Command of Khammuan province and the Border Guard Command of Quang Tri province.
The Lao delegation was led by Deputy Commander and Chief of Staff of the Border Guard Command of the Lao People’s Army, Colonel Saksith Phichit, while the Vietnamese delegation was headed by an official from Vietnam’s Ministry of National Defence.
Representatives and guests from relevant agencies of both countries also attended the exercise.
Deputy Commander of the Vietnam Border Guard, Major General Vo Tien Nghi, stressed that the exercise was vivid evidence of the special solidarity, traditional friendship, mutual trust and comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam and Laos.
It also affirmed the increasingly close coordination between the border protection forces of the two countries in managing and safeguarding the border and combating and preventing crime.
The drill was designed to strengthen coordination between Lao and Vietnamese forces in preventing, suppressing and responding to cross-border security threats, with particular emphasis on the interception and arrest of armed drug traffickers.
The exercise also aimed to strengthen cooperation and the longstanding special solidarity between Laos and Vietnam, while improving the ability of both sides to respond effectively to security incidents.
Colonel Saksith Phichit said both teams achieved all of their planned objectives and gained valuable experience for improving border management and defence capabilities.
The exercise would help to maintain stability and safety in the border area and support efforts to build a border region characterised by peace, friendship, cooperation and sustainable development, he added.
The joint exercise highlights the continued cooperation between Lao and Vietnamese security forces in addressing transnational crime and maintaining security along their shared border.
On this occasion, the Quang Tri People’s Committee presented 1 billion VND (US$38,514) in funding to the Khammuan Military Command to purchase equipment and support tools. - Vientiane Times/ANN
