National Assembly Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn (right) and President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernandez. VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI National Assembly (NA) Chairman Trần Thanh Mẫn on Wednesday received President of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba Esteban Lazo Hernandez who is leading a Cuban delegation to Việt Nam to attend the national funeral of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee Nguyễn Phú Trọng.

Mẫn emphasised that the Party, NA, Government and people of Việt Nam are extremely grateful to the Party, NA, Government and people of Cuba for sending representatives to attend the funeral of General Secretary Trọng, and extend condolences over his passing.

According to the Vietnamese top legislator, Cuba officially mourned the passing of General Secretary Trọng from 6am on July 20 to midnight on July 21, with the national mourning etiquette observed throughout July 22. At its plenary session on July 19, the Cuban NA observed a minute of silence in honour of General Secretary Trọng. The moves are extremely sincere and friendship gestures that only exist between the comrades and brothers.

Mẫn stressed that General Secretary Trọng had always reserved special affection for Cuba and its people. When he was still alive, the Party chief always affirmed that the faithful and steadfast relationship between Việt Nam and Cuba has overcome all challenges, constantly grown and contributed to the cause of justice of the two peoples.

Việt Nam will maintain, continue and develop the legacy of General Secretary Trọng in the relations with Cuba, Mẫn promised.

Stating that the NA and people of Việt Nam always share and accompany their Cuban counterparts, Mẫn highly appreciated the good relations between the two legislatures with high-level visits.

Welcoming the Cuban NA’s proposal on organising the first inter-parliamentary meeting between the Vietnamese and Cuban NAs in Havana in the coming time, Mẫn proposed the committees of the two legislatures continue to coordinate closely to successfully hold the event.

The Vietnamese NA wants to continue to strengthen cooperation with its Cuban counterpart in line with the signed cooperation protocol with new and more extensive contents and cooperation mechanisms, Mẫn said, proposing the two sides enhance high-level meetings at all levels, and those among NA committees, deputies, and two friendship parliamentary groups to exchange professional experiences in the field of legislation, supervision and decision-making on important issues.

The two legislatures are expected to promote their roles in promoting the bilateral relations and pushing ministries, agencies, localities, and businesses to actively and effectively implement signed treaties and agreements.

The NA Chairman hoped that the two sides will continue coordinating at multilateral international forums and supporting each other's stances on regional and international issues of mutual concern.

For his part, the Cuban leader said that General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng is a great ideologist who had worked hard to cultivate the friendship, solidarity, and sustainable cooperation between Việt Nam and Cuba. In particular, the Party chief had visited Cuba five times and had important meetings with Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro and other senior leaders of Cuba.

Hernandez believed that the Party, State and people of Việt Nam will continue to overcome all difficulties and achieve great achievements both domestically and internationally.

He affirmed that the Party, State and people of Cuba will continue to implement cooperation agreements to further strengthen the comprehensive cooperative relationship between the two countries.

Appreciating the cooperation and regular exchanges between the two NAs over the past time, Hernandez hoped that in the coming time, the two legislatures will continue to increase the exchanges of delegations and effectively prepare for the organisation of the first inter-parliamentary meeting between the two NAs, including the business forum between the two countries. VNS