Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia to closely cooperate for development

In the 4^th Meeting, the three PMs reaffirmed their determination to maintain and strengthen the friendship and comprehensive cooperation between the three countries, both bilaterally and multilaterally, in the Development Triangle.

The three leaders showed their consensus on strengthened cooperation in some fields in the time to come:

To establish a Common Steering Committee for the Development Triangle, co-chaired by a minister of each country. The Committee consists of four sub-committees covering Economic, Social and Environment, Local, and Security-Foreign Affairs. The Committee’s first meeting will be held in Vietnam in the first quarter of 2007.

The Committee was entrusted to set up preferential policies for the Development Triangle and submit them to the three PMs for consideration and decision.

To strengthen the three countries’ collaboration in mobilizing external resources for the Development Triangle, especially from Japan. The PMs also agreed on some proposals to be posed to Japan at the 3^rd Summit between Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia and Japan to be held in Cebu, Philippines.

The leaders also discussed some measures to promote the three countries’ cooperation in some priority fields in the Development Triangle, such as transport, hydroelectricity, rubber growing in southern Laos and northeastern Cambodia, healthcare, education and training. At the end of the Meeting, the three PMs issued a common declaration and held a joint press conference.

Talking to pressmen at the press conference on behalf of the three PMs, Mr. Nguyễn Tấn Dũng confirmed that the Development Triangle is a land of potentialities despite being riden with current difficulties. Thus, the leaders of the three countries will closely cooperate with each other to mobilize their own national resources and call for investments from international financial organizations and investors to promote the triangle’s development.

By Hoàng Nguyên Hồ