Vietnam Drops Objections To Laos Dam On Mekong

Vietnam has apparently dropped its objections to a dam that Laos is constructing on the Mekong River, saying on Thursday that the neighboring country has made changes in the design to mitigate any negative downstream impact. Laos officials reportedly said this week that construction of the Xayaburi dam was going ahead, and they took several journalists and diplomats to the site of the proposed dam on Southeast Asia’s mightiest river. Construction of approach roads and support buildings has already begun. Vietnam and Cambodia last year proposed a 10-year moratorium on any dams on the Mekong.—AP