HANOI, April 3 (Xinhua) -- The governments of Laos and Thailand have reached a consensus on speeding up trading cooperation, investment expansion, and security-related issues, the Lao newspaper Vientiane Times reported Friday.

    The cooperation prospects were reached at the 15th meeting of the two countries' Joint Commission on Lao-Thai Cooperation recently held in Laos.

    At the meeting, the Lao delegation led by Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Thongloun Sisoulith, and its Thai counterpart led by Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya agreed to boost cooperation in trade and investment between the two countries.

    Both ministers resolved to accelerate negotiation of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on cooperation and promotion of contract farming projects, so the MOU can be signed on the occasion of an official visit to be made by Lao President Choummaly Sayasone to Thailand in May.

    Regarding security-related issues, the two sides congratulated each other on the sound cooperation between their respective armies, which retain security along both sides of their shared border.

    Both parties agreed to continue to accelerate work on border surveying and demarcation, both on land and water.

    The meeting set a target to complete land demarcation by 2009, while water territory demarcation is expected to be complete by 2010.