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Chairpersons of Belarus' parliamentary chambers meet with president of Laos

 

Anatol Rubinaw, chairperson of the Council of the Republic (Belarus’ upper parliamentary house), and Uladzimir Andreychanka, chairperson of the House of Representatives, met Tuesday in Minsk with the visiting president of Laos, Choummaly Sayasone.

According to the government's news agency BelTA, Mr. Rubinaw noted at the meeting that Belarus and Laos had common interests in various areas, which he said was evidenced by the agreements signed the previous day. "The parliaments of the two countries should play an active role in this cooperation," he said.

Mr. Rubinaw expressed confidence that Belarus and Laos had all necessary conditions for the expansion of fruitful cooperation, and that Mr. Choummaly's visit to Belarus would open a new page in the relationship between the two countries, according to BelTA.

Mr. Andreychanka said that the fact of the meeting itself testified to Laos' particular interest in the development of inter-parliamentary relations.

He also said that the National Assembly of Belarus was establishing close relations with the parliaments of all countries in Southeast Asia. He noted that this had become possible thanks to the observer status in the Inter-parliamentary Assembly of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations that the Belarusian parliament was granted in 2011.

Mr. Andreychanka expressed gratitude to Laos for its support of Belarus on its way to obtaining the status.

A number of cooperation agreements have already been signed between the National Assembly of Belarus and the parliaments of Vietnam, Cambodia and Indonesia, Mr. Andreychanka said. "Belarusian MPs would like to cooperate with the Lao National Assembly in the same format," he said. "This gives the opportunity to contribute to the development of relations in other areas and provide assistance to businesspeople in establishing contacts."

Mr. Choummaly proposed establishing a friendship group in order to expand inter-parliamentary cooperation. "It is necessary to establish permanent contacts to exchange experience and opinions and support each other at the global and regional levels," he said.

Mr. Choummaly also expressed an intention to propose to the chairperson of the Lao National Assembly that Belarusian MPs should be invited to visit Laos. //BelaPAN