Bunnhang Vorachith noted that the friendly and cooperative relations between the two parties and the two countries provided by Kaysone Phomvihane and President Kim Il Sung have developed on the basis of a solid foundation. These relations are steadily developing under the deep care of General Secretary Choummaly Saynasone and General Secretary Kim Jong Il, he said.

He expressed thanks to the party, the government and the people of the DPRK for having extended support and assistance to the party, the government and the people of Laos in the period of the anti-U.S. salvation struggle and in the period of socialist construction.

He expressed belief that the cooperative relations between the two countries would further develop in the struggle for the defence of socialism and against the imperialists' "strategy of peaceful transition".

Thongloun Sisoulth, member of the Political Bureau of the LPRP Central Committee and chairman of its Commission for External Affairs who doubles as vice-prime minister and foreign minister of Laos, met the delegation of the WPK on the same day.

He said that the long-standing friendship between the two countries with a long history is developing through support and cooperation with each other despite the complicated international situation.

The struggle of the WPK and the Korean people to open the gate to a thriving nation in 2012, the centenary of birth of Kim Il Sung, is sure to be crowned with victory, he added.