Hanoi (VNA) –Algeria’s Prime Minister Ahmed Ouyahia and other officials from ministries andsectors paid tribute to Vietnam’s former Politburomember and former Prime Minister Phan Van Khai, who passed away on March 17, ata ceremony held by the Embassy of Vietnam in the country on March 20.

Addressingthe ceremony, PM Ouyahia, on behalf ofPresident Abdelaziz Bouteflika, the Government and people of Algeria, offered hisdeep condolences to the Party, State, Government and people of Vietnam as wellas the late PM Khai’s family over his death.

He stressed that the twocountries have maintained a long-standing, fruitful friendship as well asmutual support in difficult times.

In reply, VietnameseAmbassador to Algeria Pham Quoc Tru said PM Ouyahia’s presence at the ceremonyreflects special sentiments, deep and close-knit friendship between the twocountries.

Earlier, Ambassador Tru andthe embassy’s staff joined in a commemorative service for the former PM, inwhich the diplomat lauded the late leader’s contributions to Vietnam’s strugglefor national liberation, socialism and people’s happiness, as well as thecountry’s Doi Moi (Renewal) cause.

The same day, manyhigh-ranking delegations from Algeria and representative offices of foreigncountries in Algeria came to pay their last respects to the late leader.

Also on March 20, theEmbassy of Vietnam in Cambodia hosted a similar event to pay homage to the former leader, who passed away at the age of 85.

Manydelegations from Cambodia and foreign countries such as Laos, China, India andother ASEAN member nations also came to pay tribute to the former PM, includinga delegation of the Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) led by Sim Ca, permanentmember of the Standing Board of the CPP Central Committee.

Writing inthe funeral book, Sim Ca stressed the former PM’s great contributions toVietnam’s nation-building cause, and offered his deep condolences to theCommunist Party of Vietnam (CPV) Central Committee, Vietnamese people and thelate leader’s family.

The sameday, a similar ceremony was held by the Embassy of Vietnam in Singapore.

Ambassadorsand representatives of diplomatic corps of foreign countries in Singapore came topay homage to former PM Khai.

Among themwas Russian Ambassador to Singapore Andrey Tatarinov who had met the lateleader many times during 2011-2004 in his capacity as Russian Ambassador toVietnam.

Theambassador praised significant contributions of former PM Khai to thedevelopment of the friendship and strategic partnership between Vietnam andRussia, saying Russian people will always remember the former PM as a closefriend of Russia.

Singapore’sMinister of State for the Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Manpower andMinistry of Foreign Affairs, described former PM Khai as a respectable leaderand a good friend of Singapore.

The lateleader’s contributions to enhancing cooperation between Singapore and Vietnamwill always be remembered, he said.

Diplomatsof Laos, Chile, Japan, China and Thailand were present at the event.

Former PMKhai was also commemorated in India, Germany and Hong Kong (China).-VNA