Laotian Foreign Minister Thongloun Sisoulith confirms that the 21 Hmong girls repatriated by Thai authorities in late 2005 have been found with relatives in Laos, though he did not say where.
The Lao Foreign Minister told his Thai counterpart, Dr Nitya Pibulsonggram, who visited Vientiane early this month, that the Hmong girls are doing in good heath, and that Lao security officials have been told to coordinate with Thai security officials about sending them back to join their families in Ban Huay Nam Khao in Thailand's Phetchaboun Province.
The 21 girls and women, aged from 14 to 20, were among the 26 young Hmongs, who were arrested by Thai authorities and repatriated in late 2005 when they left their Ban Huay Nam Khao makeshift camps to celebrate Christmas.
During their meeting, the two foreign ministers agreed to cooperate in finding a solution to the Ban Huay Nam Khao Hmongs issue, with Lao officials say they will take back those Hmongs if they are proven to be from Laos.
Listen to our Laos Today report for more details.
