Defence Services C-in-C meets Deputy Minister of National Defence and Chief of the General Staff, lays wreath at Unknown Soldier Monument in Laos

Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services General Ye Win Oo, who is paying a goodwill visit to the Lao People’s Democratic Republic, was welcomed with a Guard of Honour by Lieutenant-General Saichay Kommasith, Deputy Minister of National Defence and Chief of the General Staff Department of the Lao People’s Army, yesterday afternoon.
On arrival at the Lao Ministry of National Defence, where the ceremony would be held, the General and party were welcomed by the Lao Deputy Minister of National Defence and Chief of the General Staff Department of the Lao People’s Army. The two leaders took the salute of the Guard of Honour and inspected it.
The Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services and the Lao Deputy Minister of National Defence and Chief of the General Staff Department of the Lao People’s Army reciprocally introduced their entourages and posed for documentary photos. The two leaders held talks at the guest hall of the ministry.
At the meeting, they discussed the promotion of friendly relations and cooperation between the two armed forces; the exchange of goodwill visits at various levels between the two armed forces; the promotion of border trade; enhancement of cooperation in maintaining peace and stability along the border areas of the two countries; training programmes; the exchange of military sports teams and cultural troupes; and efforts to eliminate online gambling; Myanmar’s ongoing efforts to eradicate online gambling and online scams, to eliminate such activities in the region and prevent their recurrence in the future; conducting operations to combat online scams, and completion of dismantling 1,053 online scam hubs to date.
They frankly exchanged views on the prevention and suppression of narcotic drugs; bilateral cooperation between the two armed forces to prevent ethnic armed groups from taking strongholds in the border regions of both countries, as these groups are building up their strength by purchasing and replenishing weapons and ammunition with income earned from the production, sale and distribution of narcotic drugs; the convening of meetings of the Regional Border Committee (RBC) and the Joint Border Security Committee (JBSC); and the efforts being made by the State Government to achieve domestic peace and promote development.
In the afternoon, the General paid tribute by laying a wreath at the Unknown Soldier Monument, accompanied by music performed by the military band of the Lao People’s Army.
Afterwards, the General and members of his delegation cordially bade farewell to senior military officers of Laos and departed. — MNA/TTA