Laos declares 2 days of national mourning to commemorate General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong

On the afternoon of July 22, at the Lao Prime Minister's Office, on behalf of the Lao Government, Minister and Head of the Lao Prime Minister's Office Bouakhong Nammavong held a press conference, announcing that Laos will observe a national mourning period to commemorate General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Nguyen Phu Trong on July 25-26.

The announcement said that Mr. Nguyen Phu Trong - General Secretary of the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam - passed away at 13:38 on July 19, 2024 at the 108 Central Military Hospital in Hanoi , at the age of 80.

General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong has made great and important contributions to fostering the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, two States and peoples of Laos and Vietnam, and Vietnam and Laos, which is constantly developing.

Minister and Head of the Lao Prime Minister's Office Bouakhong Nammavong informed that Laos will hold a national mourning ceremony to commemorate General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

With the passing of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, the Lao Party, State and people have lost a close and dearest friend. Therefore, the Lao Party and Government have agreed to observe a national mourning period in Laos, including the Lao Embassy and Lao diplomatic missions abroad, on July 25-26, flying the flag at half-mast and stopping all forms of entertainment activities.

According to the announcement, the Lao Government assigned the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate with the Lao Party Central Committee Office, the Lao Party Central Committee's Foreign Affairs Commission and relevant parties to prepare for the high-ranking delegation of the Lao Party and State, led by the General Secretary of the Lao People's Revolutionary Party Central Committee and the President of Laos, to attend the visitation and funeral of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong in Hanoi; coordinate with the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos to prepare for the delegations to pay their respects, sign the condolence book and lay wreaths at the headquarters of the Vietnamese Embassy in the capital Vientiane.

The delegations included the Central Executive Committee of the Lao Party, headed by the Standing Secretary of the Secretariat and the Vice President; the Lao National Assembly delegation headed by the Vice President of the National Assembly; and delegations from Party and State organizations, the Central Lao Front for National Construction, the Central Lao Veterans Association, and mass organizations, headed by the Party Secretaries of each ministry and branch.

The communiqué specifically noted that during the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and related meetings in Laos from July 21-27, the Lao Ministry of Foreign Affairs should pay attention to the most appropriate organization and notify all delegations participating in the conference, especially the organization of parties and festivals.

Ministries, branches, agencies from central to local levels, Laos - Vietnam Friendship Association, sent condolences to Vietnamese partners and organized delegations to attend the funeral, sign the condolence book at the Vietnamese Embassy and Consulate General in localities. Leaders of Lao twin provinces sent condolences to partners.

The Lao Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism coordinated with the Party Central Committee's External Relations Commission and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prepare propaganda content on the great and important contributions of General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong to fostering the great friendship, special solidarity and comprehensive cooperation between the two Parties, two States and peoples of Laos - Vietnam, Vietnam - Laos in the media.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/xa-hoi/lao-tuyen-bo-2-ngay-quoc-tang-tuong-niem-tong-bi-thu-nguyen-phu-trong-20240722150436538.htm