(VNA): Vietnam and Laos have great potential to boost co-operation in industry, particularly in hydro-power projects due to Vietnam's experience in this industry and its demand for electricity while Laos has potential for producing hydro-power, said Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung.

Deputy PM Dung said while receiving a delegation of the Lao Ministry of Industry and Handicrafts, led by Minister Omneua Phommachanh, in Hanoi on June 14.

Deputy PM Dung stressed that the special and time-honoured friendly relations between the peoples, Parties and Governments of Vietnam and Laos are continuing to develop in all areas. These relations have achieved good results in the recent years. However, bilateral co-operation has still not reached its potential and is failing to meet the desires of the two countries' leaders but it has, however, initially benefited the two peoples.

Minister Omneua Phommachanh thanked Vietnam and the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry in particular, for the assistance his ministry has received. He informed Deputy PM Dung of the results of his working session with the Vietnamese Ministry of Industry and the Electricity of Vietnam Corporation.

He stressed that the two industry ministries have effectively carried out agreements signed by the two governments and many co-operation projects between the two sides have been and are being implemented. Vietnam has sent experts to help Laos work out a plan to develop the processing industry, build some hydro-power projects, conduct surveys and make a mineral ore map of Northern Laos, he said.

The minister said he hoped that Vietnam will speed up the implementation of the hydro-power projects and help Laos train industrial experts and managerial cadres, and provide funding for making maps of mineral ores in Laos's central and southern regions.

During a working session between the two industry ministries, the two sides informed each other of industrial development in their respective countries and discussed future plans for co-operation. They pledged to further promote co-operation in hydro-power development. Vietnam has pledged to help Laos develop two hydro-electrical power projects in southern Laos to help build the industrial sector and seek partners for investment and trade co-operation.

This was discussed at a working session in Hanoi on June 14 between Vietnamese Minister of Industry, Hoang Trung Hai and Lao Minister of Industry and Handicrafts, Omneua Phommachanh.

Laos also asked Vietnam to help in personnel training for energy and processing industry sectors and in building industrial processing plants in Laos.

Along with the agreement on energy co-operation and electricity trade between the Electricity of Vietnam (EVN) and the Electricity of Laos (EDL), the EVN has also assisted Laos in planning key sites of electricity links between the two countries.

The EVN sold electricity to Laos at four sites along the Vietnam-Laos borderline with a total output of 12.5 million kWh in 2004.

The two sides agreed to invest in hydro-electric power projects in Laos - Xekaman 3 and Nam Mo that will have a total capacity of 345 MW./.