Top government officials have been paying tribute for the late President, General Le Duc Anh from 7 a.m. Friday.
Soldiers perform a ritual to fly the national flag at half mast at Ba Dinh Square in Hanoi to start the two-day state mourning for former President and General Le Duc Anh on Friday morning. Photo by VnExpress/Gia Chinh
Born in 1920 in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue, Anh joined the revolution in 1937 and became a member of the Communist Party a year later.
He held many positions in the army, served as Minister of National Defense from 1987 to 1991, and in September 1992 was elected president, a position he retained until 1997.
Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc (L) with current and former government leaders pay tribute to the late president. Photo by VnExpress/Giang Huy
The ceremony is held at the National Funeral Home at 5 Tran Thanh Tong Street, Hanoi.
Party chief and President Nguyen Phu Trong, who heads the State funeral organizing committee, is not seen at the funeral. Vietnam’s foreign ministry said on April 25 that Trong, 75, had suffered some health issues due to heavy workload and weather conditions, and would go back to work soon.
Vietnamese Defense Minister Ngo Xuan Lich (C) leads a delegation of the Central Military Commission (CMC), the highest party organ in Vietnam on military policy and defense ministry, to pay tribute to the late president. Photo by VnExpress/Gia Chinh
Japan’s Minister of Defense Takeshi lwaya (L) leads a delegation to the funeral. Photo by VnExpress/Gia Chinh
On the two days of state funeral on Friday and Saturday, government offices and public places will fly the national flag at half-mast, and no public entertainment events will be held.
Anh died last Monday at 99 following months of treatment at the 108 Military Hospital in Hanoi.
Ho Chi Minh City’s party chief Nguyen Thien Nhan holds three incense sticks to pay tribute to late president Anh at the Independence Palace in HCMC. Photo by Thanh Nguyen
Memorial services are held at the same time at the palace and Anh’s hometown in the central province of Thua Thien-Hue.
A Cambodian delegation led by Defense Minister Tea Banh at the funeral in Hanoi. Photo by VnExpress/Gia Chinh.
In 1981, Anh became commander of the Vietnamese army in Cambodia where Vietnamese troops helped remove the Khmer Rouge from power.
His coffin is covered in the national flag in Ho Chi Minh City. His body was flown to the southern city in the afternoon and he has been buried at the Martyrs’ Cemetery in the city. Photo by VnExpress/Huu Khoa
Source: Vnexpress
