> 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)