Putin Meets Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone at Russia-ASEAN Summit

MOSCOW, June 18. /TASS/. Russian President Vladimir Putin met with Lao Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone during the Russia-ASEAN summit in Kazan to discuss the current state of Russian-Lao relations and prospects for expanding cooperation, a TASS correspondent reports. Russia and Laos maintain a regular political dialogue. On May 9, the president of Laos came to Moscow, where he and Putin held talks. "Prime Minister Siphandone is a long-standing and trusted friend of our country. He studied Russian at the Soviet Cultural Center in Vientiane (1982-1983). He graduated from the Odessa Military Academy (1987), knows the traditions and culture of our country well," the Kremlin said in a statement. The long-standing Russian-Lao relations are based on traditions of friendship, support and mutual trust. Diplomatic relations were established in 1960. Trade and economic relations, education and training cooperation are developing dynamically. "Vientiane takes a balanced position in the context of the Ukrainian crisis, demonstrates an understanding of the reasons for the special military operation. Laos supports most of the Russian initiatives at the UN General Assembly and does not join the confrontational anti-Russian resolutions. The positions of Russia and Laos on topical issues of world politics coincide or are very close. Russia effectively cooperates with Laos within the framework of leading international and regional formats, including Russia's strategic partnership with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations," the Kremlin said.