Laos Govt. Not Yet Installed

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29853, 20 June 1962, Page 15

Laos Govt. Not Yet Installed

(N Z.P_A.-Reuter— CopyrightI VIENTIANE, June 19. The neutralist Prime Minister-designate of Laos, Prince Souvanna Phouma, today asked that a plane be sent north to the Plain of Jars to bring the pro-Communist Prince Souphanouvong to the capital.

Observers believed that a constitutional stalemate delaying proclamation of a coalition government would now be settled. Prince Souphanouvong, the Pathet Lao leader, is a Vice-Premier designate in the proposed coalition.

Prince Souvanna Phouma asked that the plane be sent to the Plain of Jars after he had a 90-minute audience with King Savang Vatthana. Prince Souvanna arrived in Vientiane yesterday, seven, hours behind time because of monsoon rains.

Prince Souvanna conveyed protests from the neutralist and pro-Communist members of his new’ coalition Government, which was to have been installed yesterday, against a vote of approval given to the Government by the National Assembly last Saturday. Reports said the pro-Com-munist members feared that the coalition government could be dissolved by the National Assembly if the Parliamentary vote were taken to be a point of law Officials said Prince Souvanna would leave for Paris without forming a Government if the question were not settled by Thursday. Prince Souphanouvong has warned that his Pathet Lao troops were “always ready” to resume fighting in Laos to press their demands. In a Pathet Lao broadcast quoted by Radio Peking today, Prince Souphanouvong told his followers “to have absolutely no illusions about American imperialists, to heighten their vigilance, strengthen their unity and always be prepared to fight.” Prince Souphanouvong attacked attempts to have the coalition agreement approved by the National Assembly. There was no need for the national Government to be approved by the National Assembly, nor should it be placed under any interna-

tional control, he said. It only needed to be installed by the King. Prince Souphanouvong, who was reported still to be in Hanoi, the capital of North Vietnam, said "even before the ink is dry on the three princes' agreement, American imperialism and its agents have started destroying the provisional coalition government agreement.” He alleged that American aircraft were still continuously flying over “liberated” territory to drop supplies and ammunition to Government troops.

Under constitutional changes made last September, the King can name himself or another person as Premier of a provisional Government without the approval of the National Assembly if the National Congress asks him to do so. This procedure has not yet taken place. The National Congress is a joint body of the National Assembly and the King’s Council.