Laos–United States relations

Laos – United States relations

Laos	United States

Laos – United States relations officially began when the United States opened a legation in Laos in 1950, when Laos was a semi-autonomous state within French Indochina. These relations were maintained after Laotian independence in 1954.

Vietnam War-era

War between the United States and Communist insurgents in Indochina, which was partially conducted on Laotian territory, as well as U.S. involvement in the Laotian Civil War, strained relations between the two countries. Although diplomatic relations were never severed following the end of the war in 1975, U.S.-Lao relations deteriorated as Laos had come under the rule of the communist Pathet Lao. The relationship remained cool until 1982 when efforts at improvement began. Full diplomatic relations were restored in 1992 with a return to ambassadorial-level representation.

Joint activities

Accounting for Americans missing in Laos from the Vietnam War has been a special focus of the bilateral relationship. Since the late 1980s, joint U.S. and Lao teams have conducted a series of excavations and investigations of sites related to cases of Americans missing in Laos.

Narcotics interdiction activities are also an important part of the bilateral relationship. The United States and Laos cooperate closely on opium crop control projects that have helped to bring about a 96% decline in opium poppy cultivation, from 42,000 hectares in 1989 to 1700 hectares in 2006. Laos, however, remains on the U.S. list of major opium producers. U.S.-sponsored demand reduction programs have increased Laos' capacity to treat both narcotic and amphetamine addiction. The U.S. also provides law enforcement assistance to help contend with the rapid growth in methamphetamine abuse and crime that has occurred in Laos since 2003.

Foreign assistance and trade relations

The U.S. Government provided more than $13.4 million in foreign assistance to Laos in FY 2006, in areas including unexploded ordnance clearance and removal, health and avian influenza, education, economic development, and governance.

In December 2004, the George W Bush signed into law a bill extending normal trade relations to Laos. In February 2005, a bilateral trade agreement (BTA) between the two countries entered into force. There has been a consequent rise in Lao exports to the United States, although the volume of trade remains small in absolute terms. Bilateral trade reached $15.7 million in 2006, compared with $8.9 million in 2003. The Lao Government is working to implement the provisions of the BTA while simultaneously seeking to join the World Trade Organization.

List of U.S. ambassadors to Laos

Term started	Term ended	U.S. Ambassador
August 1950	December 1950	Paul L. Guest
29 December 1950	1 November 1954	Donald R. Heath
1 November 1954	27 April 1956	Charles W. Yost
12 October 1956	8 February 1958	J. Graham Parsons
9 April 1958	21 June 1960	Horace H. Smith
25 July 1960	28 June 1962	Winthrop G. Brown
25 July 1962	1 December 1964	Leonard S. Unger
23 December 1964	18 March 1969	William H. Sullivan
24 July 1969	23 April 1973	G. McMurtrie Godley
20 September 1973	12 April 1975	Charles S. Whitehouse
August 1975	March 1978	Thomas J. Corcoran
March 1978	September 1979	George B. Roberts, Jr.
September 1979	October 1981	Leo J. Moser
November 1981	November 1983	William W. Thomas, Jr.
November 1983	August 1986	Theresa A. Tull
August 1986	August 1989	Harriet W. Isom
August 1989	August 1992	Charles B. Salmon, Jr.
6 August 1992	26 July 1993	Charles B. Salmon, Jr.
8 January 1994	20 August 1996	Victor L. Tomseth
5 September 1996	14 June 1999	Wendy Chamberlin
18 September 2001	21 April 2004	Douglas A. Hartwick
May 2004	May 2007	Patricia M. Haslach
22 June 2007	Incumbent	Ravic R. Huso

See also

• Eugene DeBruin
• Dieter Dengler
• Battle of Lima Site 85
• Foreign relations of the United States
• Foreign relations of Laos
• North Vietnamese invasion of Laos
• CIA activities in Laos
• Operation White Star
• Project 404

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Department of State (Background Notes).[1]

External links

• History of Laos - U.S. relations

Media related to Laos – United States relations at Wikimedia Commons