The memorial and burial services for former Poiltburo member and former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai were held in Ho Chi Minh City on March 22 morning.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong delivers a eulogy at the memorial service A representative of the bereaved family expresses appreciation at the memorial service Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong (black suit, left) and President Tran Dai Quang (black suit, right) escort the casket of the late PM The convoy leaves Thong Nhat Hall to carry the coffin of late PM Phan Van Khai  ​to the last resting place in his hometown Tan Thong Hoi commune of Cu Chi district, HCM City Former PM Phan Van Khai passes away on March 17 at the age of 85 Phan Van Khai served as the PM of Vietnam from September 1997 to June 2006 Local students stand along the road to express respect to the late Government leader Also on March 22 morning, the funeral service for late PM Phan Van Khai also takes place at the International Convention Centre in Hanoi A number of officials are present at the event in Hanoi

Late PM Phan Van Khai’s contributions to Vietnam’s foreign relations hailed

Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh, staff of the Vietnamese Embassy and Vietnamese people in Russia pay homage to late PM Phan Van Khai 

Many foreign diplomats and officials have hailed former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, who passed away on March 17 aged 85, as a dedicated leader and a great contributor to Vietnam’s ties with other countries.

At a commemoration ceremony held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia on March 21, Vietnamese Ambassador Ngo Duc Manh recounted the life and career of the late PM, highlighting his enormous contributions to national development and protection.

Manh wrote in the book of condolences that PM Phan Van Khai paid great attention to external affairs and greatly contributed to the country’s international integration.

Expressing his condolences, Sergei Tolchenov, deputy director of the Third Asian Department of the Russian Foreign Ministry, wrote that in Russia, people remember Phan Van Khai as a person who devoted his entire life to national liberation and development and promoting Vietnam’s prestige.

While holding high-ranking Party and State positions, he enhanced the two countries’ relations and helped to elevate bilateral ties to a strategic partnership, the official added.

At the respect paying ceremony held by the Vietnamese Embassy in Chile, representatives of the Chilean Foreign Ministry and the Chile-Vietnam culture institute recalled the visit to the South American nation by then PM Phan Van Khai in October 2002. They said the trip was a new milestone in bilateral relations, and he will always be remembered as one of Vietnam’s great leaders.

President of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile Maya Fernández Allende, President of the Communist Party of Chile Guillermo Teillier del Valle and General Secretary of the Socialist Party of Chile Andres Santander Ortega sent messages of condolences to the Vietnamese Embassy.

At similar ceremonies in Belgium, Argentina and France from March 20 to 22, Vietnamese people, officials and foreign diplomats in the countries also paid tribute to the late Government leader.

Embassies hold ceremonies commemorating former PM Phan Van Khai

Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhay Ly (sitting) writes on the book of condolences at the tribute-paying ceremony for former PM Phan Van Khai in Phnom Penh

The Vietnamese embassies in Cambodia, China, India and the Republic of Korea and South Africa have held ceremonies to pay tribute to former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai who passed away on March 17.

In Cambodia, local authorities and the Vietnamese community came to the embassy in Phnom Penh to pay homage to the late PM.

A Cambodian Royal Government delegation was led by Deputy Prime Minister Yim Chhay Ly. Writing on the book of condolences, he showed thankfulness to former PM Khai for his efforts to reinforce the Vietnam-Cambodia cooperation.

He expressed deep sympathy to the family of former PM Khai as well as Ambassador Vu Quang Minh.

Yim Chhay Ly stressed that Cambodian people always keep in their mind the services of former PM Khai who made important contributions to the development of Cambodia.

The ceremony also saw a delegation from the Cambodia’s Senate led by Vice President Tep Ngorn, and another from the National Assembly led by Vice President Nguon Nhil.

A similar ceremony was also held at the Vietnamese General Consulate in Kunming, the capital city of China’s Yunnan province, which was attended by Zhang Guohua, Deputy Governor of the province who led a delegation of local authorities to pay homage to the late Vietnamese leader.

Consul Generals of a number of countries in Yunnan, including Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Malaysia, Myanmar and Bangladesh also came to pay homage to former PM Khai.

Meanwhile, in New Delhi, Indian Minister of State for External Affairs V.K Singh came to the Vietnamese Embassy to pay homage to former PM Khai and wrote on the funeral book. He conveyed deep sympathy to the family of the late leader as well as the Government and people of Vietnam.

In a meeting with Ambassador Ton Sinh Thanh later, Singh recalled contributions of former PM Khai to the development of Vietnam.

Representatives of diplomatic corps, organisations as well as the Buddhist community in India also came to commemorate the late leader.

On March 20-21, the Vietnamese Embassy in the Republic of Korea held a memorial service for former PM Phan Van Khai.

Extending condolences to Vietnam over the passing away of the former leader, Deputy Foreign Minister Cho Hyun said that former PM Khai will be remembered as a great leader of Vietnam and Asia.

On March 21, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation of South Africa issued a press release stating that South Africa extends condolences to Vietnam over the death of former PM Phan Van Khai.

The document highlighted great contributions of the late leader to the national construction and development of Vietnam, as well as his role in boosting the growth of the Vietnam-South Africa ties.

In 2004, the late leader visited South Africa, and he and then President Thabo Mbeki held talks and set up the Vietnam-South Africa inter-governmental partnership forum on economic, trade, science, technology and culture cooperation, it noted.

South African President Cyril Ramaphose also sent a message of condolences to the Government of Vietnam.

VNA