TS.ELBEGDORJ MEETS LAO LEADER

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia /MONTSAME/ Prior to returning home after the 9th meeting of the ASEM Summit in Vientiane, the State Head Ts.Elbegdorj met with his counterpart of Laos Mr Choummaly Sayasone. "Our people are mentally close to each other," said Lao leader and added that this meeting is expected to contribute to developing of the bilateral relations. Mr Sayasone said an attention should be given to the economic cooperation, and expressed satisfaction with a good reputation of Mongolia at international arena. The politics and economy of Laos are stabilizing, people's livelihood has been improving, Mr Sayasone said. His country has aimed at reducing the poverty to ten per cent by 2015. They face many difficulties due to aftermath of a long-year war, "but we aim to become an industrial country, transmitting to it from agricultural country in 2018," the Lao President said. In turn, the President Ts.Elbegdorj said state and governmental leaders of countries are satisfied with a good organization of the ASEM Summit's meeting, and congratulated Laos on joining the World Trade Organization (WTO). The President mentioned that the two countries celebrated the 50th anniversary of the diplomatic relations in this year's September, and expressed a confidence that achievements will be reached in the bilateral cooperation by holding meetings of the intergovernmental commission. Mr Elbegdorj said he was glad for an agreement to cooperate in the agriculture and land farming spheres. "Our countries are landlocked, so we support each other on this matter. We also have a chance to cooperate at the United Nations' level," he said, and wished the Lao people a happiness. He invited Mr Choummaly Sayasone to Mongolia. Accepting the invitation, the Lao President also invited Elbegdorj to visit Laos. B.Khuder