Vietnamese Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh has requested Vietnamese and Lao relevant agencies to boost coordination to complete the project on increasing and upgrading border markers along the two countries’ border this year.

The minister, who is also Head of the Steering Committee on Land Border Demarcation, made the request at a meeting held in Vietnam’s central province of Nghe An on August 19 to review the project, with the attendance of Lao Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.

The two countries have completed the system of markers along their shared border, but a lot of work still lies ahead, including drafting and signing related legal documents, such as the Protocol on Border Demarcation and Marker Planting and new agreements on border management. Therefore, relevant agencies, local governments and forces involved in the work should continue to cooperate closely in order to fulfill all the remaining tasks by 2014, Minh said.

The minister also called for the effective implementation of the governmental agreement on dealing with free migration and unregistered marriage in the two countries’ border areas.

Meanwhile, the Lao official stated that the completion of the system of markers along the Vietnam-Laos border is a success that has an important significance in terms of politics, security-national defense and economic development, contributing to building a border of peace, friendship and development.

At the meeting, the Foreign Ministers of Vietnam and Laos awarded certificates of merit to organizations and individuals who have greatly contributed to border marker planting.

As earlier reported, the last border marker on the Vietnam-Laos border line was inaugurated on July 9 at the gate between the Vietnamese town of Thanh Thuy in Nghe An province and the Lao town of Nam On in Bolikhamsay province.

Vietnam and Laos share a border line of 2,067 km which runs through 10 Vietnamese provinces: Dien Bien, Son La, Thanh Hoa, Nghe An, Ha Tinh, Quang Binh, Quang Tri, Thua Thien-Hue, Quang Nam and Kon Tum.

The line also passes 10 Lao provinces, including Phongsaly, Luang Prabang, Houaphan, Bolykhamsay, Khammoune, Savannakhet, Salavan, Xiengkhouang, Sepon and Attapeu.