Myanmar, Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam to Cooperate in Civil Aviation

May 9, 2007
Implementation of agreement on air transport of the four countries is being finalized at the two-day meeting of aviation directors, which began on Tuesday.

A senior civil aviation officials meeting of Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam (CLMV) is underway here to seek enhanced cooperation among the four to develop air transport in the sub-region.

Implementation of agreement on air transport of the CLMV countries is being finalized at the two-day meeting of directors- general of civil aviation cooperation of CLMV which began on Tuesday, according to the Civil Aviation Department of the Ministry of Transport which organized the meeting.

Under a multilateral agreement reached in Phnom Penh in April 2005, the CLMV countries are to seek promotion of air travel and cargo as well as tourism services among the four latest members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

The multilateral agreement provides for airlines in the CLMV countries to use designated airports in each country and imposes no limit on the number of passengers on flights.

According to earlier reports, Myanmar has reportedly initially set Yangon and Mandalay international airports in the list, while Vietnam nominated seven including those at Hanoi, Ho Chi Ming City and Da Nang, Laos three including those at Vientiane and Luang Prabang, and Cambodia one which is Phnom Penh.

The agreement was first proposed at a meeting in Phnom Penh in 2001 and Myanmar signed bilateral air transport accords with Laos in 1991, with Cambodia in 1995 and with Vietnam in 1996.

So far, there are regular flights to Yangon operated by airlines from three other ASEAN member countries -- Thai Airways International, Bangkok Airways, Thai Air Asia, Phuket Airlines, Silk Air (Singapore) and Malaysian Airline System -- among 14 foreign air carriers that fly Myanmar.

Meanwhile, Myanmar and the Philippines have been exploring enhanced cooperation in the air sector, negotiating since a few years ago to work out an air services agreement between them, according to air industry sources.

The last CLMV senior aviation officials meeting was held in March 2006 in Vientiane, Laos.

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