A State President delegation led by President Võ Văn Thưởng pays tribute to former Deputy PM Vũ Khoan. — VNA/VNS Photos

HÀ NỘI — A State-level funeral for former Secretary of the Party Central Committee and former Deputy Prime Minister Vũ Khoan was held at the National Funeral Hall in Hà Nội on Tuesday.

The funeral was organised by the Party Central Committee, National Assembly, State President Office, Government, Việt Nam Fatherland Front Central Committee and his family.

Delegations from the Party, State, National Assembly, Government, Việt Nam Fatherland Front, the armed forces, and crowds of officials from the capital city and many other cities and provinces nationwide, as well as foreign friends gathered at the National Funeral Hall to pay tribute to the former Deputy PM.

Party General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng and Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính sent wreaths to pay tribute to the late leader.

The funeral was followed by a respect-paying ceremony at the hall at 1.30pm and a burial ceremony at 3pm at Mai Dịch Cemetery in Hà Nội.

National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ writes in the guest book at the funeral to offer condolences to the bereaved family.

Writing in the guest book, President Võ Văn Thưởng sent his deepest condolences to Khoan’s family while hailing his contributions to the revolutionary cause of the Party and the nation as well as the country’s international integration, renewal and development process.

National Assembly Chairman Vương Đình Huệ praised Khoan for his talent and morality in the guest book.

Foreign friends’ mourning

US Ambassador to Việt Nam Marc E. Knapper writes in the funeral book at the State Guest House in Hà Nội on Tuesday.

Former Cuban Ambassador to Việt Nam Fredesman Turro Gonzalez grieved the passing of former Deputy PM Vũ Khoan, who he described as a sincere friend of Cuba.

Talking to the Vietnamese News Agency, Fredesman recounted his memories of Khoan, saying that the deceased was a wholehearted friend of the Cuban people and also a sincere, simple, clear-sighted, and experienced comrade.

Fredesman, serving as Ambassador of Cuba to Việt Nam twice, had many chances to meet and work with Khoan.

The diplomat said that during his first term in Việt Nam from 1999 to 2004, Khoan, then Deputy PM and Chairman of the National Committee for International Economic Cooperation, showed strong support for the promotion of economic and trade ties between the two countries.

When Cuba decided to update its economic model, it sent a group of experts to learn about Việt Nam’s experiences. At that time, the retired Deputy PM spent much time giving them detailed explanations of different reform periods of Việt Nam, according to Fredesman.

He called the death of Khoan a great loss and offered condolences to his family, relatives and friends of the former Deputy PM, as well as the Party, State, and people of Việt Nam.

First Vice Chairman of the Russia - Việt Nam Friendship Association Piotr Tsvetov, who used to work with Khoan, shared his unforgettable memories of the former Deputy Prime Minister of Việt Nam.

Talking to the Vietnam News Agency, he offered his sympathies on the death of Khoan to the bereaved family and the Vietnamese people.

He recalled in the 1980s, the prime period of relations between the Soviet Union and Việt Nam, he used to meet Khoan many times, who was then Minister Counsellor of the Vietnamese Embassy in Moscow, when the latter often came to the International Department of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union Central Committee to prepare for working visits by leaders of Việt Nam.

Tsvetov said Khoan grasped the direction of bilateral ties and confidently and effectively handled issues.

While working at the Vietnamese Embassy in Moscow, Khoan used to work as an interpreter for Vietnamese Party General Secretary Lê Duẩn and Chairman of the Council of Ministers Phạm Văn Đồng at their meetings with Party and State leaders of the Soviet Union. Earlier, he had also interpreted for President Hồ Chí Minh during the leader’s exchanges with the people of the Soviet Union.

It could be said that Khoan made important contributions to the friendship between the Soviet Union and Việt Nam, Tsvetov went on.

In an article published in the “Asia and Africa Today” magazine, the First Vice Chairman of the Russia - Việt Nam Friendship Association called Vũ Khoan an “architecture” of Việt Nam’s “Đổi mới” (Renewal).

Former Vice President and Counsel of the US-Việt Nam Trade Council Frances Zwenig hailed former Deputy PM Khoan for being a consummate and prominent diplomat.

The US expert told the Vietnam News Agency's reporters in Washington that the outstanding diplomat had made significant contributions to US-Việt Nam relations, especially during the period when the US and Việt Nam worked together to improve and switch their bilateral relationship “from one of wariness to one of trust.”

“When there were problems and complaints, Minister Vũ Khoan, more than most, understood where we needed and wanted to go to resolve the problems,” she said.

“Minister Vũ Khoan was a person with diplomatic stature and gravitas. He ranked among the best in the world in his time. I was honoured to know and work with him. Minister Vũ Khoan had vision and he could see around the corner— incredible gift given the complexities of today’s world.”

Vũ Khoan passed away after a period of illness at 7.05am on June 21 at the 108 Military Central Hospital in Hà Nội, according to the Central Committee on Health Care for Senior Governmental Officials.

He was born on October 7, 1937 in Phú Xuyên District, Hà Nội. On December 19, 1961, he became a member of the Communist Party of Việt Nam.

He was a member of the Party Central Committee in the 7th, 8th, and 9th tenures, Secretary of the Party Central Committee in the 9th term, deputy of the National Assembly in the 11th tenure, and Deputy Prime Minister from August 2002 to June 2006.

During his political career, he also held various positions, including Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs (1990-2000), and Minister of Trade (2000-02). He retired in 2008.

Vũ Khoan was honoured with many noble titles by the Vietnamese Party, State and Government, including the first-class Independence Order and the 60-year Party Membership Badge. — VNS