U.S. To Support Strong Military Role In Govt.

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31062, 18 May 1966, Page 17

U.S. To Support Strong Military Role In Govt.

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright) WASHINGTON, May 17. United States administration leaders, after two days of intensive consultations on the internal Vietnam crisis, have agreed to support a strong Vietnamese military role in any future Saigon Government, the Associated Press reports.

But, high United States officials made clear today, this decision did not indicate a personal endorsement of Premier Nguyen Cao Ky.

A high official said it was necessary to build a nation and fight a war at the same time. The appraisal was that .the political disturbances in South Vietnam would fall

short of a civil war, but might involve bloodshed. Evolution but no stability would be predominant in the weeks and months ahead. The Army was the only nation-building influence in a country still divided amongst conflicting groups and without any political parties with a power base.

The United States recognised Premier Ky as the head of the established Government of South Vietnam but this did not mean he would be given United States support over someone else in an election.

There was still considerable anger in Washington as the result of Premier Ky’s surprise week-end move, the Associated Press said.

It was thought that Premier Ky decided he could not tolerate a situation where the Saigon Government had not control over one of its most important military and political areas. But the wisdom of taking the action he did in seizing the town without United States consultation was questioned. Many experts contended that Premier Ky’s action would do more harm than good by stimulating the Buddhists to all-out opposition. Others said it would give him an opportunity to re-establish law and order before elections were held in mid-September for a consti-tution-making body. After the election, it was still not clear when a civilian government might be formed, officials said.

It was agreed by the President’s top advisers that North Vietnam was doing everything it could to encourage divisions and dissensions in the South.

Hanoi is reported to believe that at the present time, it was possible to cause more trouble for the Americans by political means than by military action. Officials in Washington con-

ceded that. Thich Tri Quang, the Buddhist political leader of the dissident north, was totally committed to the downfall of the Ky Government. It was less clear, they said, what kind of Government Tri Quang would like to see in power. It also was not yet clear whether Premier Ky’s move had disrupted the election machinery to which Tri Quang had agreed.

The United States Ambassador, Mr Henry Cabot-Lodge is due in Saigon on Friday after a full day of consultations in Seoul, where the Korean Government faces criticism because of its commitment to send an additional 20,000 men to Vietnam by July. They now have 20,000 men on combat duty there.