Vientiane, November 6, 2023 /MONTSAME/. President of Mongolia Khurelsukh Ukhnaa, and President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith held official talks at the Presidential Palace in Vientiane on November 6, 2023. 

President Khurelsukh is paying a State Visit to the Lao People's Democratic Republic, following the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Mongolia and Laos. The official talks were held in a warm and businesslike atmosphere. 

At the outset of the Meeting, President Khurelsukh thanked the Laotian state, government, and people for their warm welcome and hospitality to the Mongolian delegation. 

President of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Thongloun Sisoulith expressed confidence that the Mongolian President's State Visit to Laos would be of high significance in expanding traditional friendly relations and cooperation between the two countries and strengthening people-to-people ties. 

President Thongloun Sisoulith acknowledged the long-standing tradition of mutual support between the peoples of Mongolia and Laos during challenging times and expressed gratitude for Mongolia's steadfast support for Laos's independence and sovereignty during global, regional, and national changes and reforms. 

The two sides exchanged views on advancing traditional friendly relations in politics, defense, road and transport, agriculture, education, and health, as well as on comprehensive issues, including cooperation in international and regional arenas. As the Heads of State of landlocked and developing countries, the two Presidents expressed commitment to enriching relations between the two countries with trade and economic content and to intensifying bilateral cooperation in the future. 

The two Presidents agreed to further expand the scope of bilateral relations over the next six decades and deepen cooperation in all possible areas, such as trade, economy, agricultural products, tourism, and transport logistics. 

The two parties expressed confidence that the “Agreement on Cooperation in Animal Quarantine and Veterinary Medicine” and the “Agreement on Cooperation in Plant Quarantine and Protection,” signed between the Governments of the two countries during the State Visit, would play a pivotal role in boosting bilateral cooperation in food, agriculture, trade, and economy. 

In turn, President of Mongolia Khurelsukh underscored the significance of the “Agreement between the Government of Mongolia and the Government of the Lao People's Democratic Republic on Aviation Relations,” concluded during the Visit, which is aimed at broadening cooperation opportunities between the two countries in air transport, creating a favorable legal environment for the growth of passenger and cargo transportation, and facilitating the expansion of reciprocal travel for the citizens of the two countries. 

Acknowledging the rising interest among Mongolians to travel to Southeast Asian countries, the parties agreed to foster mutually beneficial cooperation by augmenting citizen exchanges, synergizing the implementation of the Mongolian Government’s announcing 2023-2025 the "Years to Visit Mongolia" and the Government of Laos's designation of 2024 as the "Year of Tourism." 

The two sides stressed the importance of the “Agreement on Cooperation in Tourism” in deepening people-to-people ties between Mongolia and Laos, supporting cooperation between tour operators of the two countries, and mutually promoting the culture and traditions of the two countries. 

The parties highlighted that the Mongolian-Laotian Business Forum, organized as part of the Visit, would be a crucial catalyst in bolstering mutually beneficial cooperation, enriching trade, investment, and economic cooperation with new content, as well as nurturing close ties between entrepreneurs of the two countries. 

Moreover, the two Heads of State underscored the importance of the “Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Protection of Natural Resources and Environment” in addressing and rehabilitating environmental degradation caused by climate change, desertification, soil, water, and air pollution, mining industrialization, and in maintaining ecological balance. 

Emphasizing the friendly relations between the two countries to support each other and actively cooperate in the regional and international arena, the two Presidents affirmed commitment to elevating collaboration within the UN and other international organizations. 

President Khurelsukh congratulated President Thongloun Sisoulith on Lao PDR's honorable role as ASEAN Chair in 2024 and wished him success. Mongolian President expressed gratitude to Laos’s commitment to supporting Mongolia's bid to become an ASEAN dialogue partner and join in regional integrations, such as the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC). 

As an outcome of the official talks, the two sides signed a bilateral document to strengthen the legal environment between the two countries.