Funeral Held for Late Vietnamese PM in HanoiTens of thousands of Vietnamese lined along streets in Hanoi Saturday to pay their last tribute to the Vietnamese leader Pham Van Dong who died last Sunday.Addressing the mourning ceremony, General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam Le Kha Phieu described Dong as the "outstanding and intimate" pupil of President Ho Chi Minh and one of the most revered party and state leader who devoted his whole life to the national liberation, unification and people's freedom and happiness. Vowing to carry forward the socialist reforms, Phieu said the Vietnamese people will continue to strive to make their life rich, country prosperous and society fair and culturally advanced. The funeral was held at Mai Dich cemetery on the western suburbs of Hanoi. Dong who died at the age of 94 was a member of the political bureau of the party's central committee from 1951 to 1986 and prime minister from 1955 to 1981. Friday and Saturday have been observed as days of national mourning with flags flying at half-mast and all entertainment activities suspended. |
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