Laos has always held firm in its efforts to preserve international peace and security to create environments conducive to the promotion of development cooperation.
This was the message from Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Dr Thongloun Sisoulith during his speech at the General Debate of the 66th General Assembly of the United Nations in New York on Monday.
Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith
The meeting, attended by heads of state and governments along with foreign ministers, was held to review the global situation facing member states with particular relation to peace, stability, the economy, environment and natural disasters.
Dr Thongloun was cited as saying the Lao government will always uphold the principle of resolving problems by peaceful means as it shares a common desire with other countries to reside in a peaceful and secure world.
“All nations must continue to enhance development cooperation, to ensure tangible benefits for our peoples based on mutual respect, solidarity, understanding and assistance, and at the same time avoid the use of threats, interference and force,” he said.
“During the past year, we have faced multiple challenges caused by regional conflicts, spreading social unrest coupled with financial and economic crises and devastating natural disasters, which have become more frequent.”
Dr Thongloun said these events combined pose severe threats to global peace, stability, security and development cooperation. These multiple challenges are not only obstructing developing and least-developed countries from pursuing their development goals but they also cause reverse development.
“We must accelerate the UN reform process, which has been pending for many years, to achieve more concrete outcomes. It is more critical than ever for all member states to enhance cooperation in a sincere and trustworthy manner, without taking advantage of one another, in an effort to reform UN bodies and improve their effectiveness.”
Dr Thongloun added that the UN should show a more effective facilitating role by urging all parties concerned to find a solution and realise the vision of a two-state solution in Israel and Palestine.
The two should live side by side in peace, security and within internationally recognised borders as stipulated in the relevant resolutions of the UN Security Council, he added.
“In this regard, the Lao PDR supports Palestine’s application for full membership of the UN,” he said.
Dr Thongloun pointed out that another important concern remains the issue of the economic, trade and financial embargo imposed on Cuba for several decades, which has seriously affected the Cuban people. He said he believed it was time for the embargo to be unconditionally lifted.
The deputy PM told the meeting that one of the main challenges for Laos was the unexploded ordnance (UXO) dropped during the Indochina War more than three decades ago.
The legacy of war does not only pose obstacles and hindrances in the country’s effort to advance socio-economic development but also negatively impacts on the livelihoods of local communities, as much of the agricultural land across the country is contaminated with UXO.
He also touched upon efforts to build the Asean Community by 2015 and said one of Asean’s aims was to implement a free trade area among the 10 member countries as well as between Asean and its dialogue partners.
Dr Thongloun also i nformed the meeting of his pleasure that Laos will host the 9th Asia-Europe Meeting in Vientiane in November next year and said the government has made preparing for the event a top priority.
