Laos and Vietnam celebrated the first achievement of an additional
border demarcation project on Friday at the Dansavan-Laobao
immigration checkpoint between Savannakhet province in Laos and Quang
Tri province in Vietnam . ( See the whole set of the ceremony on this
site: http://www.flickr.com/photos/densavanh )

The first two markers installed are part of the project's 826
additional border markers the two nations are scheduled to install by
2014, in a bid to more obviously define the border between the two
nations.

The ceremony was opened by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of
Foreign Affairs Dr Thongloun Sisoulith and his Vietnamese counterpart
Pham Gia Khiem and was attended by high-ranking officials from both
countries.

The event was held to coincide with the 46 th anniversary of the
establishment of diplomatic relations between Laos and Vietnam .

Laos shares a 2,067-km border with Vietnam . The north-south border is
the longest border Laos shares with any of its neighbours.

Border survey and demarcation with Vietnam started in 1977 and was
basically completed in 1986 with the installation of 214 markers.

But, Dr Thongloun said, “the border markers we installed in the past
were too far away from each other so our two governments agreed to add
more markers to define the border more clearly for future
generations.”

He said the border demarcation project would set in place the
geography that had been determined by historical events.

In 1977, he said, Laos and Vietnam signed a convention to determine
the shared border line with the intention to build a border of
friendship, solidarity and mutually honest neighbours to bring
prosperity to the people of both countries.

Since then, the people of Laos and Vietnam have increased the number
of their visits for purposes of trade and to strengthen their
solidarity and mutual assistance.

Dr Thongloun said the additional border demarcation reflected the
intention of the two parties and two governments to establish a legal
and historical symbol for mutual border management as part of ensuring
the tradition of special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation
between Laos and Vietnam .

Savannakhet province in Laos and Quang Tri province in Vietnam were
selected for the first additional border demarcation because the two
provinces were located in the area where significant fighting had
taken place during the Indochina War to end colonialism.

“Now this route has become part of the East-West Economic Corridor and
serves to integrate Laos and Vietnam with the region,” Dr Thongloun
said.

“The border demarcation determines the geographical territory of our
two nations; but the special solidarity, great friendship and love
between Laos and Vietnam are borderless.”

Mr Pham Gia Khiem said Laos and Vietnam had decided to build the
border of friendship based on mutual confidence, reflecting mutual
understanding and mutual respect for each other's territorial
integrity.

He said he believed the demarcation would help maintain security and
boost development along the border as well as bring tourists and
foreign investment to the two countries.

By Vientiane Times
(Latest Update September 8 , 2008)