Senior officials of Vietnam and Laos said on Monday that the two countries should promote friendly relations and multi-faceted cooperation.

Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Sinh Hung said during talks with his Lao counterpart Somsawat Lengsavad that the two countries should enhance their cooperation in the fields of hydroelectricity, energy, mineral exploration and processing, and cadre training,

Vietnam and Laos should also beef up multilateral cooperation with other countries in the region and further tap economic and trade advantages of each side, he said.

Vietnam is ready to share experiences and help Laos successfully host the 25th Southeast Asia (SEA) Games slated for 2009, he said, adding that his country will help Laos build a sports training center under an engineering, procurement and construction contract.

Lengsavad, who started his four-day visit to Vietnam on Saturday, said he hoped more Vietnamese enterprises will invest in Laos in such fields as hydroelectricity, mining, and cultivation of cash crops, including rubber, coffee, cacao, and cashew trees.

He said the Lao government wants Vietnam to further assist it in teaching the Vietnamese language for Lao students.

On Monday, Lengsavad also met with General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nong Duc Manh, State President Nguyen Minh Triet, Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, and Chairman of the National Assembly of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong.

Source: Xinhua