Laos declares national mourning for Vietnam's Party leader

Laos is scheduled to observe a national mourning for Vietnam's Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong from July 25-26.

Minister and head of the Lao Prime Minister's Office Bouakhong Nammavong made the announcement at a press conference in Vientiane on Monday.

The Vietnamese leader passed away in Hanoi on July 19. He was 80.

The announcement states that the Party chief made significant contributions to the unceasing development of the great friendship, special solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation between the Parties, States, and peoples of the two countries.

His passing is a loss of a close and trusted friend to the Party, State, and people of Laos. Therefore, the Lao Party and Government decided to observe state mourning in Laos and at the countries' embassies and diplomatic missions abroad on July 25 - 26 by flying flags at half-mast and suspending all forms of entertainment activities.

According to the announcement, the Lao Government has entrusted the Ministry of Foreign Affairs to coordinate with the Lao People's Revolutionary Party (LPRP) Central Committee’s Office, Commission for External Relations, and relevant agencies to prepare for a high-ranking delegation of the Lao Party and State led by the General Secretary of the LPRP Central Committee and President of Laos to attend the funeral for the deceased in Hanoi.

The bodies will coordinate with the Vietnamese Embassy in Laos to prepare for delegations to come to pay respect, write in the funeral book, and lay wreaths at the Vietnamese Embassy in Vientiane.

They were also assigned to coordinate with relevant agencies to inform the embassies and diplomatic missions of Laos abroad to pay homage to the late leader at Vietnam's representative bodies in the host countries.

The announcement particularly notes that during the 57th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting and related meetings in Laos from July 21 to 27, the country's Foreign Ministry needs to ensure appropriate arrangements and give notifications to all participating delegations, especially regarding the organisation of banquets and festivals.

Lao ministries, agencies, and organizations from central to local levels as well as the Laos-Vietnam Friendship Association are to extend condolences to their Vietnamese partners and send delegations to attend the respect-paying ceremonies to be held at the Vietnamese Embassy and consulates general in localities. Meanwhile, the Lao provinces that share twinning relations with Vietnamese localities are to offer condolences to their partners.

Previously, on July 19, Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel had announced a state mourning in commemoration of the Vietnamese Party chief.

A communique run by Granma, the daily of the Communist Party of Cuba, said the country would officially observe a mourning from 6 a.m. of July 20 (local time) to midnight of July 21, while the state mourning would run for the whole of July 22.

During the state mourning, flags would be hoisted half-mast at all the public buildings and military offices

The Cuban leader expressed deep grief at the passing away of Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, who he called a beloved comrade and sincere friend of Cuba.

Also on July 19, the Cuban National Assembly observed a minute in commemoration of Trong.

Cuban media described Party chief Nguyen Phu Trong as one of those who enthusiastically boost the fraternal and special relations and the mutual must between the Parties, National Assemblies, Governments, and peoples of the two countries.

The Party leader made official visits to Cuba in 2012 and 2018.

In Vietnam, a two-day national mourning for Party General Secretary Trong will be observed from July 25-26.