Russia and Laos cooperation priorities

Russia and Laos` cooperation priorities were discussed during a working visit of Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Laos Thongloun Sisoulith to Russia on October 4-6, 2015.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Thongloun Sisoulith at their meeting emphasized that Russia and Laos share similar views on current issues of global politics, which makes the cooperation at regional and global forums more effective. Russia and Laos intend to continue a productive cooperation, in particular in the light of Laos` role as the coordinator of the Russia-ASEAN dialogue partnership for three next years and its ASEAN presidency in 2016.
Bilateral trade and investment cooperation is coordinated by the Intergovernmental Commission for Trade, Economic, Research and Technical Cooperation. 11th meeting of the Commission was held in Moscow in April 2015. In August 2015, the co-chairs of the Intergovernmental Commission held an interim meeting in Vientiane to discuss support for Russian investment in mineral prospecting and production, the hydroelectric industry, telecommunications, printing and other Lao sectors.
Both countries place a special emphasis on cooperation in education and personnel training. Russia has trained over 17,000 Lao professionals many of whom now hold senior level positions in government, for example, Mr Sisulit graduated from Herzen State Pedagogical Institute (now University) in St Petersburg in 1978. Currently, about 300 Laotians are studying in Russia.
Press-release at the official Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation web-site
Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov’s statement and answers to media questions at a joint news conference after talks with Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thoonglun Sisulit at the Russian MFA web-site