(VOVWORLD) - State President Nguyen Xuan Phuc and former President Nguyen Minh Triet on Saturday expressed profound condolences over the death of Greek Hero of the Vietnam People's Armed Forces Kostas Sarantidis, whose Vietnamese name is Nguyen Van Lap.
 Greek Hero of the Vietnam People's Armed Forces Kostas Sarantidis who is known with Vietnamese name Nguyen Van Lap. (Photo: idcommunism) |
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Binh Minh, Minister of National Defense Phan Van Giang, Minister of Foreign Affairs Bui Thanh Son, and President of the Vietnam Union of Friendship Organizations Nguyen Phuong Nga also extended condolences to the family of the 94-year-old hero.
Born in 1927, Sarantidis joined the Viet Minh (the Vietnam Independence League) in 1946, made many feats of arms during the resistance war against French colonialists, greatly contributed to the development of socialism in the North after 1954 and to friendship between Vietnam and Greece.
He received many awards by the Party and State of Vietnam.
In 2013, Lap was honored as “Hero of the People's Armed Forces of Vietnam”, becoming the only foreigner to receive the title so far.
He lived with his family in Athens, Greece.
Vietnamese Ambassador to Greece Le Hong Truong will attend the funeral of Kostas Sarantidis Nguyen Van Lap, scheduled to take place on Tuesday.