The history of Soviet/Russian-Lao relations, as well as our country's relations with Vietnam and Cambodia, is a vivid testimony to the great role that the Soviet Union played in the struggle of the peoples of Indochina for their independence, and the opportunities that the traditions of friendship and cooperation offer in the current new conditions, which are not yet fully realized.

Friends are known in trouble. And such a friend for the peoples of Indochina in the dark years of the "dirty war" of the United States in this region was the USSR, which provided material assistance to the patriotic forces, including weapons and military equipment, and diplomatic support.

Laos failed to take advantage of the 1962 Geneva agreements on its neutrality and achieve national unity. By unleashing the Vietnam War, Washington went to undermine these agreements, to directly interfere in the internal affairs of Laos. From mid-1964, American aircraft began to make reconnaissance flights over the territory of Laos, and then began systematic aerial bombardment and shelling of the zone under the control of the Lao Patriotic Front1. There was part of the Ho Chi Minh Trail, through which the supply of partisans of the National Liberation Front of South Vietnam was carried out.

Following the signing of the Agreement on Ending the War and Restoring Peace in Vietnam in January 1973 in Paris, representatives of the patriotic forces and the Vientiane Government signed the Agreement on Restoring Peace and National Accord in Laos in February 1973 in Vientiane.

After the proclamation of the Lao People's Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) in 1975, Soviet-Lao cooperation reached a qualitatively new level.

S. WAN THANUVONG

Deputy. Head of the Department of European and US Affairs of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Lao PDR

Russia, Laos, Keywords: 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations

October 7, 2010 The Lao People's Democratic Republic and the Russian Federation will celebrate the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations.

The ties of friendship and cooperation between the peoples of both countries have stood the test of time.

During the most difficult periods of its history - during the years of the revolutionary struggle for liberation, against foreign interference, and during the period of economic construction - Laos could count on the support of the Soviet Union, which provided the Lao people with invaluable moral and material assistance.

From the very beginning, the struggle of Laos and other Indochina countries for national independence was greatly influenced by two global events - the October Revolution of 1917 in Russia and the victory of the USSR and other allied powers in World War II, which led to a significant change in the balance of power in the international arena. As a result, favorable conditions were created for the elimination of the colonial system and new opportunities were opened for many countries to gain independence.

DEFENDING INDEPENDENCE

Shortly after the end of World War II, October 12

In 1945, Laos also declared independence. Laos defended its right to freedom and independence during a long national liberation struggle against colonialists and imperialist aggressors. It was held simultaneously and in close connection with the liberation struggle of the peoples of Vietnam and Cambodia.

During this period, the USSR and its allies and partners provided all possible moral and material assistance to the peoples of Indochina.

On the initiative of the USSR, from January 25 to February 18, 1954, a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the USSR, Great Britain, the United States and France was held in Berlin with the aim of finding ways to resolve the situation in Indochina peacefully.

In April-July 1954, a meeting of the Foreign Ministers of the USSR, Great Britain, the United States, France, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea and the People's Republic of China was held in Geneva on the restoration of peace in Indochina. The meeting was also attended by delegations from the royal Governments of Laos and Cambodia, as well as the pro-Western regime of South Vietnam. From the very beginning, there was a heated discussion in Geneva about the situation in Laos. The Soviet delegation proposed that representatives of the patriotic forces of Laos and Cambodia should participate in the meeting, but this proposal was rejected by the Western Powers.

The Soviet delegation regularly brought to the attention of the other participants of the meeting, as well as the international community, the proposals of the Lao side. In addition, Moscow supported the DRV's proposals to recognize the independence of Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia by France, to reach an agreement on the withdrawal of foreign troops from their territories, and to form democratic governments.

As a result, on July 20, 1954, an agreement on the cessation of hostilities in Indochina was signed, and on July 21, the meeting ended with the adoption of documents that formed the basis of the armistice and the principles of political settlement in the region. One of the main points was the commitment of France and other Western Powers to recognize the independence of Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos.

The signing of the Geneva Agreements was an important milestone on the path of the Lao people to freedom and independence. Analyzing the results of the negotiations, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the National People's Party, Prime Minister of the Lao People's Republic K. Phomvihan noted that in accordance with these agreements, the country's revolutionary forces were granted legal status, and the provinces of Samnya and Phongsali were recognized as the area of concentration of Pathet Lao forces and thus effectively came under the direct control of the Lao Revolutionary forces. The victory in the war of Resistance against French imperialism, he stressed, was a huge achievement of the revolution in Laos.²

By the early 1960s, three political movements had emerged in Laos: the Lao Patriotic Front( PFL), the pro-American group, and the Neutralist group. All of them had their own armed formations.

On August 17, 1960, a new Government was established in Vientiane, headed by Prince Suwanna Phuma, which advocated national unity. The new Government, taking into account the rather difficult political situation in the country, sought to find a peaceful solution to the Lao problem.

One of the important decisions of the government, taken at the initiative of the PFL Central Committee, was the establishment of diplomatic relations with the USSR (October 7, 1960). At the request of the Government of S. Phuma, the USSR provided assistance with food and petroleum products, and also organized air traffic between Hanoi and Vientiane. Thus, Soviet-Lao relations began to develop, which played a huge role in consolidating the gains of the Lao Revolution.

An important step in the development of relations between Laos and the USSR was the visit of S. Phuma to Moscow in April 1961, which had the following consequences:-

It is of great importance for the stabilization of the situation in Laos.

The Government of the USSR called for the convening of a conference of countries interested in political stabilization in Indochina, including the settlement of the Lao problem. And in early 1961, thanks to the support of the international community and the victories of the patriotic forces of Laos, Washington was forced to participate in an international meeting in Geneva on a political settlement of the situation in Laos.

The meeting lasted for more than a year (from May 16, 1961 to July 23, 1962), and was attended by 14 states, 9 of which-the USSR, England, France, the United States, China, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, Cambodia, Thailand, and Laos - were participants in the 1954 Geneva Meeting, and 3 (India, Poland, Canada) represented the International Red Cross.

During the meeting, the USSR delegation submitted drafts of two documents for discussion: the Declaration on the Neutrality of Laos and the Protocol to the Declaration. In the speech of the USSR Minister of Foreign Affairs A. A. Gromyko, it was pointed out that the USSR's attitude to the Lao problem is determined by the general goals of its policy, which is based on the desire to ensure peaceful coexistence, to give peoples the opportunity to decide their own fate independently, without outside interference.³

On July 9, 1962, the Lao Government issued a statement declaring its readiness to observe the 5 principles of peaceful coexistence and promote the creation of a "peaceful, neutral, independent, democratic, united and prosperous Laos".

This statement was included in the Declaration on Laos approved by the meeting, which called on all States to respect and respect the sovereignty, independence, neutrality, unity, territorial integrity of the Kingdom of Laos, not to interfere in its internal affairs and not to involve Laos in military blocs. In Laos, a coalition government was formed with the participation of representatives of the Patriotic Front. The conclusion of the Geneva Agreements was a major success of the Lao patriots, all the national liberation forces of Indochina, and an important diplomatic victory for the USSR.

The 1970s were a time of historic victories of the Indochina countries, when the peoples of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos were able to independently choose the path of national development. As a result, the Lao People's Democratic Republic was proclaimed on December 2, 1975. Power passed into the hands of the people, led by the Lao People's Revolutionary Party. The new government has set out to rebuild a country that has been depleted by 30 years of war.

The creative tasks of national development in Laos were complicated by a number of factors, and, above all, by the severe backwardness and severe consequences of the long war. The new government received an unenviable legacy from the previous regime - according to the UN, Laos in the mid-1970s was among the 25 least developed countries in the world. There was virtually no modern industry in the country, 85% of the amateur population was employed in agriculture, and 69% of the country's citizens were illiterate.

In addition to overcoming economic problems, the most important task for the DPRK was to maintain political stability and national security. In this regard, it should be emphasized that the new authorities of Laos solved the most important tasks of national development in an extremely unfavorable environment, in the face of incessant hostile activities of anti-government forces supported from outside.

GOOD TRADITIONS ARE PRESERVED

Since the first day of the DPRK's existence, Western countries have completely stopped providing aid to Laos. In addition, despite efforts to maintain peace in Indochina and Southeast Asia, its relations with Thailand have significantly worsened, leading to border conflicts and an economic blockade.

During this period, the Soviet Union and other friendly countries came to the aid of the Lao people. The Soviet Union provided enormous assistance in the military field, the construction of the most important objects of the national economy, and the development of human resources. 62 national economic facilities were built. More than 13,000 Lao specialists were trained in Soviet and Russian educational institutions, many of whom currently work in various sectors of the economy, as well as in senior positions in ministries and departments.

As a result, the young republic was able to survive and successfully implement the necessary socio-economic transformations. Lao leaders have repeatedly noted that the Lao people feel great gratitude to the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation, which the Lao People's Democratic Republic recognized as the successor State of the USSR on December 31, 1991.

Despite the difficult period of the 1990s, the collapse of the Soviet Union, and Russia's focus on solving its internal problems, which could not but lead to a weakening of Russian-Lao ties, joint efforts were able to overcome the difficulties that have arisen, and since the beginning of the 2000s, a positive shift has been observed in bilateral relations. Contacts between various legislative bodies and state structures of both countries have expanded, in particular, the Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Defense, as well as the marias of Moscow and Vientiane. The activities of the Lao-Russian and Russian-Lao Friendship Societies, as well as the Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, have been intensified. Cooperation between the Chambers of Commerce and Industry has been revived, and business ties between the constituent entities of the Russian Federation and the provinces of the Lao PDR are developing.

An important event in the Lao-Russian relations was the official visit of the Prime Minister of Laos B. Vorachit to Russia (June 2003), which gave a significant impetus to the further expansion of cooperation in various fields. During the visit, an inventory of the entire range of bilateral relations was conducted and a wide range of international issues were discussed.

Among the promising areas of cooperation, the following were identified: development of infrastructure (including transport), energy, agriculture, as well as military-technical cooperation, educational programs, expanding contacts in the field of health, science and culture. The parties noted the importance of preparing for the signing of the intergovernmental agreement on legal assistance in civil, family and criminal matters, as well as a number of other bilateral documents. Following the visit, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Ministries of Finance of the two countries on the settlement of Lao debt, and cooperation agreements were signed between the Prosecutor General's Offices and the Chambers of Commerce and Industry of Russia and Laos. The Russian side confirmed its readiness to continue providing assistance to Laos in training highly qualified national personnel.

As the Russian side stated, Russian-Lao relations have always been characterized by a friendly nature, and the views of Russia and Laos on the vast majority of international issues either coincide or are similar.⁴

One of the most important events in the development of relations between the two countries was the official visit to Moscow of the Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People's Republic S. Lengsavat (September 2005), which resulted in the signing of a Protocol on the inventory of bilateral agreements between the Lao People's Democratic Republic and the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics from 1960 to 1990.

Table

Trade turnover between the Russian Federation and the Lao PDR in 2002-2009 ($thousand)

Source: Federal Customs Service of the Russian Federation - http://www.economy.gov.ru/minec/resources/70c99b0040cc 6bb0aeb7effbe92eeela/laos_tes_24_12_2009.doc

Socialist Republics (since the establishment of Laotian-Soviet diplomatic relations and until 1991, 53 bilateral agreements were concluded)⁵.

The basic principles of bilateral relations between the DPRK and Russia are set out in the Treaty on the Foundations of Friendly Relations (1994, Moscow).

Laos and Russia have a certain potential for developing trade and economic cooperation. In 2002, the volume of bilateral trade amounted to $1.6 million, and in 2008 (according to the Federal Customs Service of Russia) increased to $6.9 million, including Russian exports - $5.7 million, Lao exports - $1.2 million. The main Russian exports are pulp and paper and other products of the printing industry, including various types of securities, other printed products and paper and cardboard products, as well as aircraft and cargo vehicles, while Lao exports to Russia include clothing, wood and wood products, and mineral raw materials.⁶

There is a mutual understanding that, in addition to preserving the traditional exchange of goods, there is a need for further diversification of the product range in order to achieve a balance between exports and imports. This, in particular, explains the proposal of Laos to consider the additional inclusion of up to 499 items of goods in the general scheme of trade preferences of Russia.

One of the most important directions of the economic policy of the Government of the Lao PDR is to attract Russian investment in the development of the national economy of the country.

Today, many Russian organizations and companies participate in the fields of energy, mining, trade and economic cooperation, in particular, such as CBOSS telecommunications company, International Book-Securities ,St. Petersburg Aircraft Repair Company (repair of MI-8 and MI-17 helicopters), Kazan Helicopter Plant (KVZ) Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant, Russian-Lao gold mining joint venture "Dao Lao", CJSC "Namikor" (tin and lead exploration and production), " Region-Oil "(hydroelectric power station construction), etc.

In order to encourage the influx of Russian tourists to Laos (more than 3,200 in 2008), the Government of the Lao PDR unilaterally abolished the visa regime for Russian citizens entering Laos for 15 days from September 1, 2007.

Since 2005, Russia has been providing state scholarships for the education of Lao citizens. Since 2008, the Moscow Government has joined this program (5 scholarships). In total, more than 100 Lao students study at various higher educational institutions in Russia. Cooperation between Kaluga State Pedagogical University named after K. E. Tsiolkovsky and Lao National University (LNU) is developing.

By the end of 2010, a representative office of the Russian Center is planned to open in Vientiane, under the LNU, and the issue of restoring the activities of the Russian Center for Science and Culture in Laos is being worked out.

Bilateral cooperation in the international arena is being strengthened within the framework of organizations such as the UN, ASEAN, and others.

Vientiane supports Russia's involvement in international forums, such as ASEM* and the East Asian Community (EAC), and supports Russian candidates in elections to various UN committees and commissions and its specialized agencies, as well as to the governing bodies of other international organizations.

The growing cooperation in the international arena is largely based on the commitment of the Lao PDR and the Russian Federation to the ideas of forming a multipolar, just and secure system of international relations, combating international terrorism, and ensuring security in the Asia-Pacific region. Laos and Russia support the central role of the UN and the Security Council in addressing issues of the modern world order.

The closeness of the approaches of Laos and Russia to the key problems of our time, the tradition of friendship and respect for the principles of mutually beneficial cooperation instills confidence in the further strengthening and development of the Lao-Russian friendly relations.

* ASEM ( Asia-Europe Meeting) - forum " Asia-Europe "(approx. ed.).

¹ Diplomatic dictionary in 3 volumes, ed. Gromyko A. A. et al. T. I. Moscow, Nauka Publ., 1986, p. 379.

^{Fomvihan Cason.} 2 Revolution in Laos: Some basic lessons and main tasks, Moscow, 1980, p. 13.

³ History of Kampuchea. Short Essay, Moscow, 1981, p. 172.

⁴ Official website of the Russian Foreign Ministry. Russian-Lao communique. Official visit of Prime Minister of the Lao People's Democratic Republic Bunnyang Vorachit to Russia. 27.06.2003 - www.mid.ru/ns-rasia.nsf/1083b7937ae580ac432569e7004199c2/5875efda27f9f57443256d520 0416c,45?OpenDocument

⁵ Speech by Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Lao People's Republic Phongsawat Bufa at a meeting with Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation A. Alekseev. Vientiane, 2006.

⁶ Minutes of the Fifth Meeting of the Russian-Lao Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation, Moscow, October 7, 2005 - http://www.advis.ru/cgi-bin/new.pl?726144A5 - 3437-DAH-97E8-0OC0DF0DCF8F

Minutes of the VI meeting of the Lao-Russian Intergovernmental Commission on Trade, Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation. Vientiane, 2006.

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