Former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Lê Khả Phiêu. — VNA/VNS Photo

HÀ NỘI — Former General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Lê Khả Phiêu passed away at 2.52am on August 7 and his funeral will be held as national mourning, according to a special communiqué issued on Monday.

The communiqué was released by the Communist Party of Việt Nam’s Central Committee, the National Assembly, the President, the Government and the Central Committee of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front.

Senior Lieutenant General Lê Khả Phiêu was born on December 27, 1931, in Thanh Hóa Province’s Đông Sơn District.

He resided at No 7/36/C1, Lý Nam Đế Street, Hoàn Kiếm District, Hà Nội.

He held senior positions in the army in a military career that spanned more than 40 years, including Director of the General Political Department of the People's Army of Việt Nam.

In 1991 he became a member of the Party Central Committee and was elected into the Secretariat the following year.

He was General Secretary of the Party Central Committee from December 1997 to April 2001.

Under his leadership, the Vietnamese people, the army, and the Communist Party made great strides in the country’s renewal, industrialisation, modernisation, national construction and defence.

After a period of illness, he passed away at 2.52am on August 7 of serious illness and old age at his house.

His passing away is a great loss to the Party, State and people, the communiqué says.

In memory of comrade Lê Khả Phiêu, the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Việt Nam, the National Assembly, the President, the Government, and the Central Committee of the Việt Nam Fatherland Front decided to hold his funeral with national mourning etiquette.

He will be laid in state at the National Funeral Hall, No 5 Trần Thánh Tông Street, Hà Nội.

The respect-paying ceremony will start at 8am on August 14 at the National Funeral Hall, No 5 Trần Thánh Tông Street, Hà Nội and run until 12pm on August 15.

The memorial service will be held at 12.30pm on August 15 at the National Funeral Hall, No 5 Trần Thánh Tông Street, Hà Nội. The burial ceremony will take place from 2pm on the same day at Mai Dịch Cemetary, Hà Nội.

At the same time, the respect-paying and memorial ceremonies for Lê Khả Phiêu will also be held at the Thống Nhất (Reunification) Hall in HCM City and 25B Hall in central Thanh Hoá Province’s Thanh Hóa City.

Việt Nam Television (VTV) and Radio the Voice of Việt Nam (VOV) will broadcast live the ceremonies in Hà Nội and HCM City live.

During the two-day national mourning on August 14-15, national flags will be flown at half-mast at State offices and public places, and recreational and entertainment activities will be halted. — VNS