
Hanoi (VNA) – The Vietnamese Embassy inThailand opened the book of condolences on March 20-21 to pay tribute to formerPolitburo member and former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, who passed away in HoChi Minh City on March 17 at the age of 85.
During the two-day ceremony, the embassy welcomedThai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, Deputy Secretary-General to the ThaiPrime Minister Anuson Chinvano (former Thai Ambassador to Vietnam),President of the Thailand-Vietnam Friendship Association Prachuab Chaiyasan,and 56 delegations of diplomats and representatives of overseas Vietnamesepeople in the country.
In his last farewells written on the funeral book,Thai Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai hailed the significant contributions thatlate former PM Phan Van Khai had made to the development of Vietnam and theprosperity of its people, saying that his sound leadership and strategic visionhad enhanced the bilateral relations between Vietnam and Thailand.
Meanwhile, the Vietnamese Embassy in Turkey fliedthe Vietnam and ASEAN flags at half-mast and set up an altar for thepassed-away leader in line with the local and Vietnamese practices.
From March 20-23, dozens of delegations,including those from the Offices of the Turkish President, Prime Minister, andForeign Minister, embassies in Turkey, as well as overseas Vietnamese people inthe country came and wrote in the book of condolences, expressing their sorrowsover the passing of former PM Phan Van Khai.
Overseas Vietnamese and diplomats from foreigncountries such as China, India, the US, Indonesia in Vancouver, Canada, alsowrote in the funeral book and expressed condolences over the death of theoutstanding and dedicated leader at the Vietnamese Consulate General inVancouver from March 22-23.
Previously on March 20-21, the Vietnamese Embassyin Canada held a similar ceremony, receiving over 45 Canadian and internationaldiplomatic representatives who came to share the sorrows with the Party, Stateand people of Vietnam and the family of late former PM Phan Van Khai over hisdecease.
Director General of the South and SoutheastAsia and Oceania Bureau, under the Canadian Departmentof Foreign Affairs, Ian Burchett sent a message to the ceremony,reading “Canadian people shared the sorrow with Vietnamese friends over thedeath of former PM Phan Van Khai, whose devotion and political view had been fueledby his love for the nation.”
Representatives from the Marxist-Leninist Partyof Canada also sent condolences and wrote farewells on the funeral book in theVietnamese Embassy in Canada from March 20-21.-VNA