Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak Arrives in Laos to attend the 28th and 29th Asean Summits and Related Summits.

VIENTIANE: Prime Minister Datuk Seri Najib Tun Razak arrived here Monday to attend the 28th and 29th Asean Summits and Related Summits.

Najib and his wife, Datin Seri Rosmah Mansor, arrived at the Wattay International Airport here at 3.10pm (4.10pm Malaysian time).

They were greeted on arrival by, among others, the Malaysian Ambassador to Laos Datuk Than Tai Hing; Minister of Foreign Affairs of Laos Saleumxay Kommasith and Minister of Energy and Mines of Laos Dr Khammany Inthirah.

Najib’s programme kicks off Tuesday with the opening of the 28th and 29th Asean Summits. This is the first Asean Summit after the establishment of the Asean Community on Dec 31, 2015, and after the adoption of the ‘Asean 2025: Forging Ahead Together’ (Asean Vision 2025), both of which were concluded during Malaysia’s chairmanship


Laos has broken tradition to hold two Asean summits, the 28th and 29th, back to back this year unlike in previous years, and in Malaysia last year, where one summit was held in April and the other in November.

Meanwhile, the Malaysian Foreign Ministry, in a statement, said Najib was also expected to hold bilateral talks with his counterparts from Asean and dialogue partners on the sidelines of the summits.

During the summits, the leaders will also issue a Joint Leaders Statement on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

A statement will be made to further demonstrate Asean’s commitment to ensure a swift conclusion of the RCEP negotiations. - Bernama