High-ranking officials from the Vietnamese Party, State, National Assembly, and Government as well as the Vietnam Fatherland Front pay tribute to former Lao Prime Minister and former Chairman of the Lao Front for National Construction Central Committee Sisavath Keobounphanh (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) - Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Truong Hoa Binh on May 15 led a delegation of high-ranking officials from the Vietnamese Party, State, National Assembly, and Government as well as the Vietnam Fatherland Front to pay tribute to former Lao Prime Minister and former Chairman of the Lao Front for National Construction Central Committee Sisavath Keobounphanh, who passed away on May 12 at the age of 92.
Party General Secretary and State President Nguyen Phu Trong also sent a wreath to the Lao Embassy in Hanoi.
General Sisavath Keobounphanh served as a member of the Lao People’s Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee from the 1st to 8th tenures, Secretary of the LPRP Central Committee for the 3rd and 4th terms, and member of the Politburo during the 4th, 6th, 7th and 8th tenures.
He was also Minister of Agriculture and Forestry and Minister of the Interior before serving as Vice President from 1996 to 1998 and Prime Minister from 1998 to 2001.
Deputy PM Binh expressed deep condolences to the Lao Party, State, and people as well as the General’s family.
“Comrade Sisavath Keobounphanh's passing away is a great loss for the Lao Party and State and the Lao Front for National Construction,” he wrote in the funeral book. “Vietnam lost a big friend and a close comrade who made extremely important contributions to building, consolidating, and developing the great Vietnam-Laos friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation.”
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also led a delegation from the Foreign Ministry to the Lao Embassy to commemorate the late leader.
Many delegations from ministries, sectors, localities, the Vietnam-Laos Cooperation Committee, and the Vietnam-Laos Friendship Association also paid tribute to him.
On behalf of the Lao Government and people, Ambassador Sengphet Houngboungnuang expressed his gratitude for the sentiments of the Vietnamese Party, State, Government, and people towards General Sisavath Keobounphanh.
The memorial service for the general at the Lao Embassy will continue until close-of-business on May 15.
Secretary of the HCM City’s Party Committee Nguyen Thien Nhan also paid tribute to the former Lao PM at the Lao General Consulate in the city on May 15./.
VNA
