ASEAN member countries join hands to strengthen parliamentary co-operation

Over the last four days, one of the year's most important ASEAN events took place in Vientiane, Laos: the 35th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-parliamentary Assembly (AIPA-35) with the theme ‘Strengthening parliamentary co-operation within the ASEAN Community Building’ for peace, stability and development.

Delegates at the opening ceremony (VNA)

The opening ceremony started with impressive traditional performances by Lao artists in front of over 300 delegates from the 10 ASEAN member nations along with those from the observer states, namely Japan, Belarus, the Republic of Korea, China, Russia, India, Australia and Timor-Leste. O Lam from Laos National Radio said the opening and closing ceremonies of the AIPA-35 were considered the year’s most important international events in Laos and were broadcast live on the national television and radio channels.

At the event, AIPA-35 Chairperson Pany Yathortou, who is Chairwoman of the Lao National Assembly, Lao Prime Minister Thongsing Thammavong, along with delegates from other ASEAN member countries and observer states, underlined the significance of the event for the member legislative bodies.

Delegates agreed that AIPA-35 took place in a context where both world and regional situations were changing rapidly and in a complex way, bringing about both opportunities and challenges. The world is experiencing a series of events related to ethnic conflicts, wars, disease outbreaks, transnational crime and cyber-crime. However, as AIPA-35 Chairperson Pany Yathortou said, peace and co-operation were still the mainstream aspiration of people and these positive goals needed to be strengthened and boosted through bilateral channels and multilateral mechanisms.

On behalf of the Vietnam delegation, National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung underscored that in recent years, AIPA has increased its efforts to support governments in realising the ASEAN Community and had now become an important mechanism for the bloc in the fields of security-politics, economics, and culture-society. Vietnam continues to make practical and effective contributions to improving the role of AIPA in building and developing an ASEAN Community of peace, stability, co-operation and prosperity, the top Vietnamese legislator said, adding that ASEAN was at a key point in the establishment of the community and a post-2015 vision.

Also on this occasion, NA Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung and the Vietnamese delegation had many meetings with senior leaders of the host country. NA Chairman Hung congratulated the Party, State and people of Laos on the achievements they have made over past years in stabilising the political situation while promoting socio-economic development and regional and international integration. The leaders reiterated their desire and determination to work together to foster the traditional relations, special solidarity and comprehensive co-operation between Vietnam and Laos, in line with the aspirations of its two peoples and contributing to peace, stability, co-operation and development in the region and the world.

Almost all delegates to the AIPA-35 expressed their high appreciation for the preparation the hosting country Laos had made for the 35th General Assembly of the ASEAN Inter-parliamentary Assembly. National Assemblies of Vietnam and Laos have increased the exchange of delegations and the sharing of experience in legislation, supervision, and other issues relating to NA operations, said Vanpheng Keonakhone, a deputy of the Lao National Assembly who is also Head of the Vientiane Department of Information, Culture and Tourism. She also added that Vietnam helped Laos organise large events such as AIPA, and the Asia-Europe Parliamentary Partnership Meeting (ASEP) and the two sides worked closely together at international parliamentary forums, as well as continued to foster the traditional friendship between the two countries and NAs.

(Source: nhandan.org.vn)