Cuban President: Laos inspires

HAVANA, Cuba, Nov 12 (ACN) Miguel Diaz-Canel, President of the Councils of State and Ministers, said on Sunday that he was impressed by the performance of the economy of Laos, where he is making an official visit that will end his tour of four Asian nations.

"The deep Asian spirituality captivates #Laos. We have been loved here since the times of combative solidarity. Their economic growth and the quality of public works inspire. Thank you for the example. #SomosCuba #SomosContinuity', he pointed out on his Twitter account.

During his official visit to his brother country, Díaz-Canel had official conversations with his Laotian counterpart, Bounnhang Vorachith, Prensa Latina reported.

At one point during the meeting, the secretary general of the Popular Revolutionary Party of Laos said that for his compatriots the name Cuba means "a friend in another sea" and that Díaz-Canel's visit "is a stimulus for our people to continue fighting, to continue working and to continue strengthening relations.

Diaz-Canel later met with Laotian Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith.

On that occasion, he recalled that today is the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Lao People's Army Command and meant that this event "marked the beginning of our collaboration and our solidarity with this brother people.

Another tweet said, "We celebrated the 50th anniversary of the Command of the National Liberation Forces in Laos. It was in the legendary caves of #Viengxay, where our doctors consolidated the unbreakable friendship of our peoples. #SomosCuba #SomosContinuity".

The Cuban president also met with the head of the National Assembly, Paty Yathotou, who described the visit as very important.

Yathotou assured that Diaz-Canel's presence in the Lao People's Democratic Republic, although brief, will give an appreciable impulse to the bonds of cooperation and friendship between the two governments and peoples.

Diaz-Canel celebrated the level reached by bilateral relations and shared with his host the will to take them to higher levels.

In the meetings with the Laotian leaders, the dignitary conveyed a cordial greeting from the first secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba, Raúl Castro.

Another of the activities he carried out today, together with his delegation, was to lay a wreath in front of the Monument to the Unknown Soldier.

This is the first visit to Laos by a president of the Councils of State and Ministers of Cuba and the second by Díaz-Canel, who was there in June 2013 as first vice-president.