(VNF) - President Tran Dai Quang on December 20^th sent a message of condolence to Russia’s President Vladimir Putin over the assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov.

Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov. (Photo: AP/Burhan Ozbilici)

On the occasion, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Pham Binh Minh also cabled a message of condolence to Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.

On the same day, the Foreign Ministry’s Spokesman Le Hai Binh made the statement in response to reporters’ queries on Vietnam’s reaction to the assassination, ‘Vietnam strongly condemns the assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey Andrey Karlov. We would like to extend our deepest condolences to the Russian Government and people as well as the family of Ambassador Andrey Karlov. We believe that the criminal would be punished properly.’

Ambassador Andrey Karlov was murdered while he was visiting the Cagdas Sanatlar Merkezi, a major art exhibition hall in the Cankaya district of Ankara on December 19^th./.

( Compiled by VNF )