The statement was made by General Secretary of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party and State President Choummaly Sayasone during his meeting with Ho Duc Viet, a Politburo member, Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee (CPVCC) and Head of the CPVCC Organisation Commission, in Vientiane on May 19.

During the meeting, Viet praised the decision by the Party, State and people of Laos to build a President Ho Chi Minh memorial area in their country, stressing that the project is a vivid manifestation of the Vietnam-Laos special relationship and a respect for President Ho Chi Minh.

He thanked Laos for hosting a series of celebrations of President Ho Chi Minh’s 120^th birthday and sending a high-level delegation to Vietnam to attend a recent workshop on President Ho’s heritages.

He spoke highly of the achievements recorded by the Lao people in their renewal process and national defence and construction.

President Choummaly Sayasone hailed President Ho Chi Minh’s great contributions to promoting the revolutionary cause of the Party and people of Laos and the special relationship between the two countries.

Later the same day, a Vietnamese delegation led by Ho Duc Viet and a Lao delegation headed by Bounnhang Volachit, State Vice President, attended a ground-breaking ceremony for the President Ho Chi Minh memorial area in Xiengvang village, Nongbouk district of Khammouane province.

The 1.51-hectare project includes a memorial house, a showroom and other facilities.