Deputy Defence Minister Lieutenant General Tran Don said he was pleased with the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the Department of Finance under the Vietnamese Ministry of National Defence and its Lao counterpart on enhancing their cooperation in 2016.

Deputy Defence Minister Lt. Gen.Tran Don (R) receives the delegation from the Planning and Finance Department of the Lao Defence Ministry.

The MoU was inked during a visit by a delegation from the Planning and Finance Department of the Lao Defence Ministry led by its director Major General Khamdeng Phengvilay.

Under the MoU, the two sides will promote experience sharing in building financial plans and those to ensure financial management in the defence industry.

At a reception for the Lao delegation in Hanoi on June 28 , Deputy Defence Minister Tran Don suggested the two sides organize regular meetings to exchange expertise, thus giving valuable consultations to the two countries’ defence ministries in military finance and practically contributing to further boosting bond between the two armies.

On the same day, Senior Lieutenant General Vo Van Tuan, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army greeted Rear Admiral Keith Smith , Director of the Joint Interagency Task Force West (JIATF West ) of the US, who is on a working visit to Vietnam.

Sen. Lt. Gen. Tuan highlighted efforts jointly made by the two sides to realise an MoU on promoting bilateral defence cooperation agreed by the two nations’ defence ministries, and the US - Vietnam Joint Vision Statement on Defence Relations .

He pointed out the great potential for the Vietnam Border Guard High Command and the JIATF West to bolster links, especially in preventing cross-border drug crime.

The Ministry of Defence and the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army always support and create favourable conditions for the two sides to promote cooperation in the future, Tuan stated.

VNA