Senior officials pay tribute to former Lao PM Sisavath Keobounphanh at the Lao Embassy in Hà Nội on Friday. — VNA/VNS Photo

 HÀ NỘI — Permanent Deputy Prime Minister Trương Hoà Bình on Friday 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 Nguyễn Phú Trọng also sent a wreath to the Lao Embassy in Hà Nội.

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 Bình expressed his deep condolences to the Lao Party, State, and people, as well as the general’s family.

“Comrade Sisavath Keobounphanh's passing is a great loss for the Lao Party and State and the Lao Front for National Construction,” he wrote in the funeral book. “Việt Nam lost a great friend and a close comrade who made extremely important contributions to building, consolidating, and developing the great Việt Nam-Laos friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation.”

Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Phạm Bình Minh also led a delegation from the Foreign Ministry to the Lao Embassy to commemorate the late leader.

Delegations from ministries, sectors, localities, the Việt Nam-Laos Cooperation Committee and the Việt Nam-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 made by the Vietnamese Party, State, Government, and people towards General Sisavath Keobounphanh.

Secretary of HCM City’s Party Committee Nguyễn Thiện Nhân also paid tribute to the former Lao PM at the Lao Consulate in the city on Friday. — VNS