Int’l friends, overseas Vietnamese bid last farewells to former PM

Vietnamese Ambassador to Cuba Nguyen Trung Thanh wrote in the funeral book expressing his sorrow over the passing of a dedicated and righteous leader. 

First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba (CPC) in Havana and Vice President of the Council of State Mercedes Lopez Acea conveyed her condolences to the family and friends of the former PM, an eminent revolutionary leader and a close friend of Cuban people. 

Secretary for International Relations of the CPC Central Committee José Ramón Balaguer affirmed that the life and career of Phan Van Khai will stay forever in the heart of Vietnamese and Cuban people and provide a source of inspiration for them to advance towards social equality. 

On March 20-21, a number of international friends paid homage to the deceased leader at the Vietnamese Embassy in Chile. 

President of the Chamber of Deputies of Chile Maya Fernandez Allende, President of the Communist Party of Chile Guillermo Teillier del Valle and General Secretary of the Socialist Party of Chile Andres Santander Ortega cabled messages of condolences to the embassy. 

Chiefs of diplomatic agencies and diplomats from Russia, Cuba, Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, El Salvador, Czech Republic, Brazil and Venezuela wrote in the book of condolences at the ceremony. 

Representative from the Chilean Foreign Ministry’s Department of Asia – Oceania Affairs and Chairman of the Chile – Vietnam Institute of Culture and Friendship recalled the visit to the South American nation by then PM Phan Van Khai in October 2002 that opened a new milestone in bilateral ties. 

Overseas Vietnamese and diplomats from Cuba, Brazil, Peru, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Singapore, Poland, Bulgaria, Italy and Mexico also wrote in the funeral book and conveyed condolences on the great loss to the Party, State, government and people of Vietnam at the Vietnamese Embassy in France on March 21-22.