The Vietnamese delegation was headed by Senior Lieutenant General Vo Minh Luong, Deputy Minister of National Defense and head of the Vietnamese committee. The Lao delegation was led by Senior Lieutenant General Thongloi Silivong, Deputy Minister of National Defense, Director of the General Department of Political Affairs of the Lao People's Army and head of the Lao committee.
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At the 28th meeting in the Lao capital city of Vientiane (Photo: VNA) |
Both sides highly evaluated the achieved results based on the agenda set forth in the 27th meeting. They emphasized that despite the increasingly challenging conditions in getting information about burial sites, the search and repatriation efforts for the remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who sacrificed their lives in Laos during different periods of war have been implemented closely and effectively. During the 2022-2023 dry season, Vietnamese search and collection teams discovered and repatriated 194 sets of remains, including 10 individuals whose names and hometowns were identified.
Regarding the direction and content of cooperation in the 2023-2024 dry season, both sides agreed to continue coordinating and directing the search, repatriation, and reburial efforts. Vietnam will maintain eight search and collection teams operating in the provinces and cities of Laos. Additionally, both sides will strengthen information dissemination and mobilize people in both countries to provide information about the fallen Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts.
In the afternoon of the same day, at the headquarters of the Lao Ministry of National Defense in Vientiane, General Chansamone Chanyalath, Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of National Defense, warmly received Senior Lieutenant General Vo Minh Luong and the Vietnamese delegation.
During the meeting, Gen. Luong reported on the results of the 28th meeting between the Special Working Committees of the two governments to General Chansamone Chanyalath. He expressed gratitude to the Lao Party, State, military, authorities at all levels, and Lao people, as well as the Lao Deputy Prime Minister for creating favorable conditions and closely coordinating with the Vietnamese side in the search, repatriation, and reburial efforts for the remains of Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts who sacrificed their lives in the war in Laos.
The host highly appreciated the cooperation and coordination between the two committees. He affirmed full consensus and support for the guest's proposals related to the search, repatriation of fallen Vietnamese voluntary soldiers and experts.
Translated by Trung Thanh