The first Myanmar-Laos regional border committee meeting, respectively represented by their deputy foreign ministers U MaungMyint and Bounkeut Sangsomsak, took place in the border town in eastern Shan state on Sunday, the report said.

The meeting covered the issue of security along the border of the two countries, promotion of border trade and exchange of visits of peoples of the two countries, the report added.

In November last year, Myanmar and Laos had held its 8th meeting of the border authorities at the central level in Nay Pyi Taw seeking enhancement of cooperation in development of the two countries’ border areas.

In January 2007, Myanmar and Laos upgraded the two countries’ respective border check points of Wan Pong in Tachilek of Myanmar’s eastern Shan state and Ban Muang Mom on the Lao side to meet international standard to boost arrivals of world tourists and those from the third countries visiting the two border areas.

The Mekong River flows between the two towns as a border line.

The two sides stressed effective use of more check points in Wan Pong and Ban Muang Mom border regions for security purpose.

Meanwhile, Myanmar and Laos have also been placing emphasis on cooperating in drug control and preventing trafficking of drugs and psychotropic substances.