Mr Daniel J. Kritenbrink and Mrs Heather Variava engage in an inclusive interview session with Vientiane Times on June 8, at Crowne Plaza Hotel in Vientiane.

US praises Laos’s leadership as ASEAN chair

A senior US diplomat has expressed confidence that Laos will successfully host and chair the ASEAN Summit and related meetings later this year, despite facing multiple challenges.
“We have a lot of confidence in Laos as the Chair of ASEAN,” the US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Mr Daniel J. Kritenbrink said in an exclusive interview with the Vientiane Times on Saturday.
Mr Kritenbrink, who plays a key role in shaping US foreign policy for East Asia and the Pacific, led a US delegation to Vientiane last week to discuss with ASEAN counterparts the issues to be discussed at the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and related events, which are scheduled to take place in Laos next month.
According to this US diplomat, despite being a small nation, Laos is well respected among its partners and serves as an honest broker, with the ability to manage differences apparent during the country’s chairing of ASEAN.
In addition, Laos’ diplomatic skills in dealing with major global issues was evident during the country’s successful hosting and chairing of the ASEAN Summit in 2016, he added.
“In 2016, we were all very impressed with how skillful Laos was in chairing ASEAN. And we’ve been similarly impressed this year,” Mr Kritenbrink said.
Mr Kritenbrink said the US government was committed to supporting Laos’ ASEAN chairmanship and hosting of regional conferences this year through active engagement and bilateral aid.
When asked about US foreign policy with regard to ASEAN, Mr Kritenbrink said the United States viewed ASEAN as an important partner, adding that the region’s security and prosperity would also serve to bolster the prosperity of the United States.
Concerning US-Laos bilateral relations, Mr Kritenbrink said the two countries had been closely linked by a comprehensive partnership since 2016, adding that this had enabled the two nations to work together in a wide range of areas including UXO clearance, health, trade, people-to-people exchanges, and capacity building.
US aid to Laos has increased in recent years and most of which has funded the clearance of UXO dropped on Lao soil during the Indochina war, he said.
Another area in which the US plans to step up its assistance is improvement of the business environment in Laos, as part of efforts to encourage more US companies to invest in Laos, he said.
At the interview session, US ambassador to Laos, Mrs Heather Variava said that in addition to UXO clearance and health, the United States provides support to Laos in the fields of law enforcement, countering of transnational crime, assistance for people with disabilities, English language training.

By Ekaphone Phouthonesy
 (Latest Update June 10, 2024)