Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnam News Agency (VNA) has freshly interviewed Lieutenant General Nguyen Tien Long, Vice President of the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association, about his deep respect and unforgettable memories of General Khamtay Siphandone, former President of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and former President of Laos, who passed away on April 2.
Long, who spent nearly nine years as a Vietnamese volunteer soldier in Laos, recalled his meet with the Lao revolutionary leader when he was around 22 or 23 years old. During a brief conversation, comrade Khamtay Siphandone stressed that the Vietnamese and Lao people share a borderline and a long-standing bond of mutual respect and support. He also advised Vietnamese soldiers to immerse themselves in Lao communities to strengthen solidarity and assist one another in times of hardship.
Long assessed that comrade Khamtay Siphandone played an extremely important role for the Lao Party, State, and people, as well as for the Vietnamese people. He held key responsibilities across multiple fields, particularly in the military, and made significant contributions to the development of the LPRP, as well as the establishment of the Lao People's Army.
He specifically recalled the Nam Bac Battle, a significant campaign during the war against French and US forces in Laos. That operation resulted in the largest number of captured enemy soldiers in any battle in Laos, Long said.
Later, Long learned that the Lao Ministry of National Defence, under comrade Khamtay Siphandone's direct leadership, had orchestrated the campaign. The Lao leader instructed his troops to defeat the enemy while capturing as many prisoners as possible for ideological re-education. According to Long, this humane military strategy was a distinctive feature of Khamtay Siphandone’s leadership philosophy.
Highlighting his unwavering trust in Vietnam, Long noted that comrade Khamtay Siphandone guided generations of Lao officials, soldiers, and people to uphold and protect the two countries’ special solidarity and friendship./.
Vietnamese leaders pay tribute to former Lao President Khamtay Siphandone
State President Luong Cuong, Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and National Assembly Vice Chairman Nguyen Khac Dinh on April 4 led high-level delegations from the Vietnamese State, Government, and NA to a memorial service in honour of Khamtay Siphandone, former President of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee and former President of Laos.
