Russia and Laos: Prospects for Co-operation

The Secretary General of the Eurasian and African Peoples Assembly, Andrey Belianinov, met today with His Excellency Mr. Siphandonou Oibouabouddy, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Lao People's Democratic Republic to the Russian Federation.

The parties discussed opportunities for business and cultural-humanitarian co-operation and holding joint events. They also touched upon the issues of improving the efficiency of trade relations between the countries, including in the field of agricultural products supplies.

Laos, which is chairing ASEAN this year, is a long-standing partner of the Russian Federation. Diplomatic relations between the countries were established in 1960. Russian language is learnt in Laos schools, and the country has a possibility to pay with cards of the Mir payment system. Many employees of the state apparatus of the country are graduates of Soviet universities, education in Russia is also in demand by modern students.

Non-profit organizations in Laos are also ready to strengthen cooperation with their colleagues on the Eurasian continent.