Nearly 660 delegations attend national mourning of former Party leader

Close to 660 delegations of Party and State leaders, ministries, localities, people’s armed forces, and diplomatic offices, as well as representatives from international organisations paid tribute to late General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Le Kha Phieu at a national mourning held in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and his home province of Thanh Hoa on August 14.

Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong and former National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Sinh Hung sent wreaths to the function.

Prominent among those attending the mourning were Politburo member and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and Politburo member and National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan.

Also attending the event were 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; and former National Assembly Chairman Nguyen Van An.

Phieu was born on December 27, 1931 in Dong Khe commune, Dong Son district, the north-central province of Thanh Hoa, and resided at 7/36/C1 Ly Nam De, Cua Dong ward, Hoan Kiem district, Hanoi.

He started participating in revolutionary activities in 1947, and joined the Communist Party of Vietnam on June 19, 1949. He was a member of the Party Central Committee of the 7th and 8th tenures, a member of the Party Central Committee's Secretariat of the 7th tenure, a Politburo member of the 7th and 8th tenures, and the General Secretary of the Party Central Committee from December 1997 to April 2001. Also he was Deputy to the National Assembly of the 9th and 10th tenures.

After a period of illness, despite the wholehearted care by the Party, State, medical group and his family, he passed away at 2:52 on August 7, 2020, of serious illness and old age at his home.

Over more than 70 years of his revolutionary activities, he made great contributions to the glorious revolution cause of the Party and the nation. He was awarded with the Golden Star, an insignia of 70-year Party membership, and many other noble Vietnamese and international orders and medals.

National mourning for former Party leader held in localities

National mourning for former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Le Kha Phieu were held in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and his home province of Thanh Hoa on August 14.

A delegation of Laos led by Politburo member and Prime Minister Thongloun Sisoulith and another of ambassadors, representatives of international organisations in Hanoi paid last respect to the late leader.

Chinese Ambassador to Vietnam Xiong Bo affirmed that Phieu was a close comrade and friend of the Communist Party and people of China.

US Ambassador to Vietnam Daniel J.Kritenbrink wrote that former Party leader Phieu played an important role in the Vietnam - US  cooperation, including his support for the Vietnam – US bilateral trade agreement in 2000 and hosting the Vietnam visit by US President Bill Clinton in November 2000. His contributions laid a foundation for growing friendship between the two nations, the diplomat stressed.

Cambodian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Sok Dareth wrote on the funeral book that the former Party leader’s passing is a great loss of the Vietnamese Party, Government and people, and Cambodia has also lost a close friend who made outstanding contributions to the development of the bilateral friendship.

Russian Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Aleksei Popov said as a true patriot, Phieu dedicated his whole life to the struggle for national independence and prosperity and also made great contributions to the cause of developing trust and friendship between the two nations.

Cuban Consul General in Ho Chi Minh City Indira Lopez Arguelles also expressed the most profound condolences to the Vietnamese Party, Government and people, saying that the late leader will live forever in the mind of all people.

Foreign leaders send condolences over former Party leader’s passing

Indonesian Government, President of the National Assembly of Nicaragua, and leaders of several foreign political parties have sent condolences to the Vietnamese Party and State leaders and family of former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee Le Kha Phieu over his recent passing.

In the message, the Indonesian Government affirmed that the former Party leader made great contributions to the struggle for national independence and dedicated his whole life to the Vietnamese people.

In a message to Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong, Chairman of the Presidium of the Japanese Communist Party Central Committee Kazuo Shii spoke highly of the late Vietnamese leader’s dedication to the national independence and development, as well as ties between the two Parties and friendship between the two peoples.

President of the National Assembly of Nicaragua Gustavo Porras Cortes also cabled condolences to the Vietnamese Party, State and people.

President of the Labour Party of Mexico Alberto Anaya Gutiérrez, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Mexico, and the Central Committee of the Farabundo Martí National Liberation Front of El Salvador conveyed condolences to Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong.

General Secretary of the Marxist Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine Nayef Hawatmeh and head of the External Relations Committee of the Moroccan Party of Justice and Development El Orani Slimane also sent condolences to the CPV Central Committee.

Chairman of the Socialist Popular Alliance Party Mamdouh Habashi expressed condolences to the CPV Central Committee’s Commission for External Relations.

On August 14, ambassadors and representatives from international organisations paid tribute to the late leader in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Ceremonies held overseas for former Party leader

Vietnamese embassies in the Republic of Korea (RoK), Russia, Australia, France, Italy, China, South Africa and Israel held ceremonies on August 14 to mark the recent passing of former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Le Kha Phieu.

Staff at the Vietnamese Embassy in the RoK, led by Ambassador Nguyen Vu Tung, observed one minute’s silence in commemoration of the late Party leader.

The embassy opened a funeral book online from August 14-15.

Representatives from the embassies of Laos, Brunei, Brazil, Ethiopia, Paraguay, Sierra Leone, Bahrain, France, the United Arab Emirates, Senegal, Argentina, Oman, and Kuwait in the RoK expressed their profound condolences to the family of the late leader, the Vietnamese Government and people.

In Moscow, Vietnamese Ambassador to Russia Ngo Duc Manh delivered a eulogy on the life and revolutionary career of Phieu and his contributions to the cause of national construction and development.

The funeral book is opening from August 14-17.

On the morning of the same day, Russian political parties and embassies of ASEAN member states, European, African, and Latin American countries also cabled messages of condolences to the Vietnamese Embassy in Russia and the family of the late leader.

Together with the Vietnamese Embassy in Australia, the Vietnamese Consulates General in Sydney and Perth also held a tribute service and opened funeral books from August 14-17.

Lao Ambassador to Australia Sisavath Inphachanh wrote that Phieu made important contributions to strengthening the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive partnership between Vietnam and Laos, and his legacy will be forever remembered.

The same day, similar ceremonies took place in France, Italy, Hong Kong and Kunming of China, South Africa and Israel to show respect to Vietnam's former Party leader. VNA