Hanoi (VNA) – Leaders of China, Laos,Cambodia and Cuba have sent messages and letters of condolences over the deathof former President Le Duc Anh to leaders of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV),the State, Government, National Assembly and people of Vietnam, and the familyof the deceased.

FormerPresident General Le Duc Anh, who served as President of Vietnam from September1992 to 1997, passed away on April 22 at the age of 99.

In his message addressed to General Secretary of theCPV Central Committee and President of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong, GeneralSecretary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and Presidentof China Xi Jinping expressed deep sympathy on behalf of the CPC, the Governmentand people of China.

He emphasized that the late President Le Duc Anh hadmade important contributions to Vietnam’s national construction and defence,and unceasing efforts to promote the development of the China-Vietnamrelationship.

 “With hisdeath, the Vietnamese people lost an outstanding leader and the Chinese peoplelost a dear friend,” Xi wrote, while expressing his belief that the Party,Government and people of Vietnam will turn sorrow into strength and continue toreap new achievements in the cause of socialist building.

TheCentral Committee of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party, the Lao NationalAssembly, the Lao Government and the Lao Front for National Construction havesent a letter of condolences to their Vietnamese counterparts.

Inthe letter, Laos expressed deep sorrow at the death of the former President andoffered deepest sympathy to the CPV Central Committee, the National Assembly,the Government, the Vietnam Fatherland Front and the Vietnamese people as wellas the family and relatives of the late President.  

TheLao side praised the deceased’s great contributions to Vietnam’s past strugglefor national liberation and its nation building and safeguarding cause over thepast more than 80 years.

ComradeLe Duc Anh made important contributions to strengthening and developing thegreat friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between Laosand Vietnam over the past times, the letter wrote.

The Lao side said with the passingaway of comrade Le Duc Anh, not only the Vietnamese Party, State and peoplelost a beloved leader, but the Lao party, State and people also lost a closefriend.

President of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) SamdechAkka Moha Sena Padei Techo Hun Sen sent a letter of sympathy to the GeneralSecretary of CPV Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong.

He expressed deep sorrow at hearing the news about thedeath of the late Vietnamese President, who he described as a leader with greatcontributions to Vietnam’s national construction and development.

President of the Council of State and Council ofMinisters of Cuba Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez sent a message of sympathies toCPV leader and President Nguyen Phu Trong and Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc,and First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Raúl Castro Ruz also extendedhis condolences to CPV leader and President Nguyen Phu Trong.

Vietnam will hold a Statefuneral for late President Le Duc Anh, with the respect-paying ceremony to beheld from 7am-11am on May 3 at the National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Tran Thanh Tongstreet, Hanoi.

 The memorial service will be held at 11am onMay 3 at the National Funeral Hall, No. 5 Tran Thanh Tong Street, Hanoi. Theburial ceremony will take place at 5pm on the same day at the Ho Chi Minh CityCemetery.

 At the same time, the respect-paying andmemorial ceremonies for the late President will also be held at theThong Nhat Hall in Ho Chi Minh City and the hall of the People’s Committee ofThua Thien-Hue.-VNA