VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

Laos Deputy Foreign Minister, Khampao Erntahavanh handed over 100,000 US dollars in aid from the Lao Government to the victims of the earthquake and tsunami in Central Sulawesi Province. The assistance was handed over to the Indonesian Ambassador to Laos, Pratito Soeharyo on October 8, 2018 at the Laos Foreign Ministry building. Ambassador Pratito Soeharyo told RRI World Service Voice of Indonesia in a special interview on Tuesday, October 9, that the Lao government expressed deep sympathy for the victims and natural disaster. This assistance is a tangible manifestation of the closeness of relations, friendship and solidarity from Laos to Indonesia.

"This is a sincere assistance from the Lao government. One, as a fellow ASEAN country. Secondly, we have a very long history relationship. We may remember the kingdom of Champa. And we always support each other, where our position in the global is both political and economic. There is a reciprocity. We never feel to owe from them, and so do they. So this is a feeling of concern and support if one, for example, when our neighbor is in problems and disaster, we try to help with sincerity," Pratito said in an interview by phone.

Ambassador Pratito further explained that the Indonesian Embassy in Vientiane will immediately coordinate with relevant Ministries / Agencies so that the Lao Government's assistance can be utilized as well as possible. According to him, the Government of Laos has provided assistance 2 times for natural disaster in Indonesia, namely in 2005 for tsunami in Aceh and in 2010 for natural disasters in Wasior (West Papua), Mentawai Islands (West Sumatra) and Mount Merapi in Central Java. (VOI/SEKAR?TRANS NUKE/AHM)