Indonesia Congratulates Laos for ASEAN Chairmanship

President Jokowi having a bilateral talk with President of Laos in California, the United States (15/2)

On the second day of his working visit to the United States, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo on Monday (15/2) at Miramonte Resort, Indian Wells had a bilateral talk with President of Laos Choummaly Sayasone.

On that occasion, President Jokowi congratulated his Laotian counterpart for the chairmanship of ASEAN for 2016.

“Congratulation for the chairmanship of Laos in ASEAN. I believe that under your chairmanship, ASEAN will be better and more successful,” President Jokowi said.

During the talk, President Sayasone expressed his gratitude for the opportunity to meet President Joko Widodo and conveyed his deep condolences on the recent terror attack in Jakarta.

For the record, diplomatic relations between the two countries have been established since 30 August 1957 and this year, Laos was appointed to assume the chairmanship of ASEAN with the theme ‘Turning Vision into Reality for a Dynamic ASEAN Community‘.

Accompanying the President in the bilateral talk were Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Minister of Trade Thomas Lembong, and Presidential Chief of Staffs Teten Masduki. 

Afterwards, President Jokowi and the related ministers will have a bilateral talk with the President of Vietnam. (SLN/UN/EN) (RAS/EP/YM/Naster)