Vietnam, as a transit developing country, has carried out numerous
activities in regional, sub-regional and bilateral frameworks to support
landlocked countries as well as Laos in particular, said Head of the
Vietnamese delegation attending the Asia-Europe meeting of landlocked
countries in Vientiane on March 5.

Assistant
Minister of Foreign Affairs Ha Kim Ngoc told delegates at the meeting
that Vietnam and Laos are implementing a pilot programme known as “One
door – One destination” in the Lao Bao-Densavan border gate to simplify
customs procedures and facilitate transport not only between the two
countries but also in the East-West corridor linking Myanmar, Thailand,
Laos and Vietnam.

Ngoc affirmed that as a major
transit country for Laos, Vietnam has exerted every effort to
strengthen cooperation with the country to boost two-way trade with a
target of 2 billion USD in 2015.

Besides, Vietnam
is also one of the top foreign investors in Laos with numerous
cooperation projects, especially in road connection, while creating
favourable conditions for Laos to use its seaports in export and
import activities, added Ngoc.

The Vientiane
Asia-Europe meeting of landlocked countries opened on March 5 with the
aim of reviewing the implementation of the Almaty Programme of Action
(APA) for landlocked developing countries (LLDCs).

Addressing the event, Lao Deputy Prime Minister cum Foreign Minister
Thongloun Sisoulith applauded the progresses achieved during a decade of
APA implementation. He expressed his belief that the conference will
make good preparations for following action plans.

Participants at the meeting agreed that over the past years, transit
countries in Asia and Europe have exerted great efforts to implement
the APA. Many priorities of the programme have been successfully
carried out, they added.

Adopted in 2003 by the
United Nations, the APA aims to address special needs of LLDCs in a new
global framework of transit transport cooperation for landlocked and
transit developing countries.-VNA