Laos-Russia friendship society delegation visits Moscow MOSCOW, October 16 (Itar-Tass) - A delegation of the Laotian-Russian Friendship Society has visited Moscow for the first time in the past seven years. The delegation discussed matters concerning versatile cooperation between Russia and Laos. The delegation's week-long visit is to end on Friday, October 17. An understanding on information, scientific and cultural exchanges between Russia and Laos was reached here on Thursday at a meeting between Valentina Tereshkova, Head of the Russian Centre for International Cultural Cooperation to the Russian government, and the Laotian delegation. The two sides decided to increase the enrollment of Laotian students at Russian higher learning establishments. More than 30 Laotians are to be enrolled and provided with stipends at Russian institutions of higher learning next year. The Russian side expressed readiness to provide Laos with Russian-language scientific literature on many subjects. The sides also considered in detail the question of air transportation between Russia and Laos. The Laotian delegation leader, Bouathong Vonglokham, expressed regret in view of the fact that at present there is no direct air flight between the two countries. Today, a decision was taken to start negotiations with Aeroflot for a resumption of the Moscow-Vientiane air service. While in Moscow, the Laotian representatives met with Grigory Karasin, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Yefim Basin, Chairman of the Russian State Building Committee. ASEAN to Provide Technical Assistance to Laos, Myanmar SUBANG JAYA Malaysia, (Oct. 15) XINHUA - ASEAN will provide technical assistance to its two new members, Laos and Myanmar, to help them fulfill their obligations for the ASEAN Free Trade Area (AFTA), it was announced here today. Malaysian International Trade and Industry Minister Rafidah Aziz told a news conference at the end of the 11th AFTA Council meeting that the two countries would be given help to set up a trade database of up-to-date export and import data. Assistance will also be given in compiling information on technical barriers to trade, building up the technical capacity for standards development, laboratory testing and conformity assessment, implementation of ASEAN harmonized tariff nomenclature, human resource development and implementation of the GATT Valuation Agreement. Laos and Myanmar, both admitted into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in July, attended the council meeting for the first time. They have acceded to the Common Effective Preferential Tariff (CEPT) agreement, AFTA's main operating mechanism, following their admission. The two countries are to implement their tariff reduction programs on January 1, 1998, and complete it within 10 years. By then, the AFTA tariff band must be between zero and 5 percent. Both countries have submitted their final CEPT packages -- inclusion list, temporary exclusion list, sensetive and general exception list. Laos has so far a total of 533 tariff lines (15 percent of its total) in its inclusion list in which all products have tariff rates of 5 percent, and 2,820 tariff lines (79.4 percent of its total) in the temporary exclusion list. Myanmar submitted 2,355 tariff lines (43 percent of its total) in the inclusion list, and 2,987 tariff lines (54.6 percent of its total) in the temporary exclusion list. BKK Post / October 16, 1997 BORDER PM's help to be sought if Laos refuses to free officers Ministry dismisses Laotian paper's claim Families of the six Chiang Rai immigration officers detained by Laotian authorities will ask Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh to help secure their release if efforts through diplomatic channels fail. The officers led by Pol Capt Sudket Vethayanond, Chiang Saen immigration deputy chief inspector, were arrested by the authorities who charged them with intruding Loatian waters on the Mekong River, possessing firearms, and attempting to rob a barge on Sunday. The offence carries a death sentence under the Laotian law. The officers were reportedly detained at Kwang Bor Kaew sub-district. The Foreign Affairs Ministry has issued a statement to clarify news reports by Lao's New Viantiane newspaper which alleged that the officers tried to extort money from a Laotian-registered freight barge. The statement said the barge in question had illegally entered Thai waters and refused to stop at an immigration facility-operated pier. It dismissed the newspaper's claim that the Navy's Mekong Patrol Unit was involved in an attempt to inspect the barge which was believed to be carrying contraband goods, saying the inspection was jointly conducted by Chiang Saeng marine police and the immigration police. Chasing the barge into the Laotian territory, the immigration police asked the Laotian authorities to detain the barge crew. But they themselves ended up being arrested. Jinda Pattananand, wife of non-commissioned officer Sompob Pattananad, said she was told by a police officer who visited the six that some of them had fallen ill due to poor sanitation and mental stress. She added that the sick officers were not given proper medical treatment and had to rely on medicine brought in by the visiting officer. Ms Jinda said she had heard that the officers had been moved to a new detention centre. She and the families of the detained officers will seek help from Gen Chavalit if the authorities fail to arrange a negotiation with their Loatian counterpart to hasten the release efforts. Samrerng Poonyoprakarn, acting Chiang Rai governor, yesterday met with senior officials including Maj-Gen Picharnmet Muangmanee, the Chiang Rai Army commander, and Pol Maj-Gen Sunthorn Boonchiang, Chiang Rai Border Police chief, to discuss ways to help the six officers. Pol Gen Pornsak Durongkaviboon, deputy police chief, is due in Chiang Rai today and is expected to report the matter to the Police Chief Pol Gen Pracha Promnok later. The Nation Headlines / 16 October 1997 Lao authority slams Chiang Rai officials By Don Pathan in The Nation VIENTIANE ­ The Bo Keo provincial authority has accused Chiang Rai immigration officials of using excessive force when they seized six Lao cargo boats on the Mekong River last week. In a report to the Lao government obtained by The Nation, the authority called the act ''disrespectful and a violation of Laos' sovereignty". Last Tuesday 10 immigration officers from Chiang Rai's Chiang Saen district, opposite Bo Keo, seized the vessels, which were suspected of carrying smuggled goods from China. The Bo Keo provincial authority stated in its report that the Thai officials used excessive force against the boat crews, including threatening to use guns, to enforce their actions. The report said the Thais encroached on Lao territory in the process, an act it deemed a violation of the country's sovereignty. It also said the cargo ­ 7,800 boxes of beer from China ­ had been ordered by a Thai national from Chinese producers and had proper documentation from Chinese and Burmese customs, and was not illegal. During the incident, four of the six Lao vessels escaped to the Lao side with six Thai officers aboard. A number of the crew jumped into the river and are reported missing. Lao officials believe they drowned. The six Thai immigration officers are being detained by the Bo Keo authority. Foreign Ministry officials from both countries have been reluctant to comment on the incident, saying that the problem should be solved at the provincial level and should not be politicised.