Leaders of the Party, State, National Assembly, Government, and Vietnam Fatherland Front pay respects to former President General Le Duc Anh (Photo: VNA)

Delegates from the Party, State, National Assembly, Government, and Vietnam Fatherland Front (VFF) along with officers and soldiers of the armed forces, Party members, and people from localities nationwide gathered at the National Funeral Hall, No.5 Tran Thanh Tong, Hanoi since early in the morning of May 3 to pay last respects to the former State leader.

Cambodian Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen writes in the condolence book (Photo: VNA)

Politburo member and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc led the Party Central Committee delegation and the Government delegation to pay tribute to the former President.

The National Assembly (NA) delegation was led by Politburo member and NA Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan, while the Presidency delegation was headed by CPV Central Committee member and Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh.

Delegation from the Party Central Committee, headed by Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, waits outside the funeral hall to pay respect to the former President. — VNA Photo

The delegation from the VFF Central Committee was led by Secretary of the CPV Central Committee and President of the VFF Central Committee Tran Thanh Man.

The delegation from the Central Military Commission of Ministry of National Defence was headed by General Ngo Xuan Lich, Politburo member and Vice Secretary of the Central Military Commission and Minister of National Defence.

Hanoi's leaders at the funeral.

Earlier this morning a flag ceremony was held at the Ba Dinh Square.

Flag flying at half-staff at the capital historic Ba Dinh Square this morning.     A ceremony is held at the Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi to fly the national flag at half-staff during national mourning for former President General Le Duc Anh who passed away on April 22 at the age of 99   Flag is flown at half-staff at the Parliament House in Hanoi Flag is flown at half-staff at the Presidential Palace in Hanoi Flag is flown at half-staff at the Foreign Ministry’s Headquarters in Hanoi  Flag is flown at half-staff at the Hanoi flag tower

The same time, tribute-paying ceremonies were held at the Thong Nhat (Reunification) Conference Hall in Ho Chi Minh City and the Conference Hall of the People’s Committee of the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, the hometown of former President and General Le Duc Anh.

The memorial ceremony for the deceased will start at 10:45 at the National Funeral Hall in Hanoi the same day.

The funeral ceremony will be held at 17:00 the same day at the Ho Chi Minh City Cemetery.

General Le Duc Anh, who served as President of Vietnam from September 1992 to December 1997, passed away on April 22 at the age of 99.

Vietnam has declared two days of national mourning for him on May 3 and 4.

Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh reads the special communiqué on the national mourning for former President General Le Duc Anh at the ceremony Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc offers incense to former President General Le Duc Anh at the ceremony Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc offers incense to former President General Le Duc Anh at the ceremony Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan pay tribute to former President General Le Duc Anh Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc offers condolence to family members of former President General Le Duc Anh at the ceremony  A view of the ceremony The delegation of the National Assembly led by Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan pays respect to former President General Le Duc Anh The delegation of Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee, led by its President Tran Thanh Man, pays tribute to former President General Le Duc Anh HCM City holds respect-paying ceremony for former President Le Duc Anh (Photo: VNA)

Nation pays homage to former President Le Duc Anh

National leaders and people nationwide expressed their deep sorrow at the death of former President, General Le Duc Anh at respect-paying ceremonies held simultaneously in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and the former President’s home province of Thua Thien-Hue on May 3 morning.

Leading a delegation of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, Politburo member and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc wrote in the condolence book praising the former President as an outstanding leader who had made great contributions to the cause of national liberation and reunification, the international mission of helping Cambodian people escape from genocide, and the cause of national construction and defence.

“His death leaves deep sorrow for the entire Party, people and army. We will forever remember him as a close comrade, a talented general, an outstanding leader and a person of righteousness and generosity,” the PM wrote.

“General Le Duc Anh is an outstanding politician and militarist, a talented and exemplary leader with great compassion and a simple lifestyle,” Politburo member and Chairwoman of the National Assembly Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan wrote in the funeral book.

Vice President Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh noted in the book that former President Le Duc Anh had devoted his entire life to national freedom and independence, national unification and the people’s happiness.

Many former senior officials also came to pay last respects to the former President, who included former Party General Secretary Nong Duc Manh; former Presidents Tran Duc Luong, Nguyen Minh Triet and Truong Tan Sang; former Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung; former NA Chairmen Nguyen Van An and Nguyen Sinh Hung.

In Ho Chi Minh City, a delegation of the city’s Party Committee, People’s Council, People’s Committee, Vietnam Fatherland Front and retired senior Party and State officials paid tribute to former President Le Duc Anh at the Thong Nhat Hall.

On behalf of the delegation, Politburo member and Secretary of the municipal Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan wrote in the condolence book expressing the deep memory of Le Duc Anh as a talented and brave general who had directly commanded many big military campaigns, including the historic Ho Chi Minh Campaign in 1975, leaving many important imprints in the revolutionary cause of the CPV and the Vietnamese nation. He described the former President as an excellent leader with great vision in strategic matters and major contributions to the cause of Doi Moi, national development and external relations.

Many delegations of foreign parties, States and Governments, and foreign ambassadors and representatives of international organisations in Vietnam also came to pay last respects to former President Le Duc Anh.

The foreign guests included a delegation from Cambodia led by Prime Minister Samdech Techo Hun Sen, a delegation from Laos led by Politburo member and President of the Lao Front for National Construction Saysomphone Phomvihane.

Following the respect-paying ceremony, the memorial service for the former President will be held at 10:45 the same day at the National Funeral Hall at No 5 Tran Thanh Tong Street, Hanoi.

The former President will be buried at 17:00 the same day at Ho Chi Minh City Cemetery.

Vietnam has declared two days of national mourning for the former President on May 3 and 4. 

VNA/VNN