DISSENSION IN KY GOVT.

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31190, 14 October 1966, Page 15

DISSENSION IN KY GOVT.

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright)

SAIGON, October 13.

General Ky’s Government is showing signs of splitting over bitter regional dissension, the Associated Press reported.

Informed sources said 11 of 12 Southern Cabinet Ministers had petitioned the Prime Minister protesting against what

they called the “dictatorial methods” of South Vietnam’s police chief.

One Cabinet member quit last week in the dispute. General Ky accepted the resignation and warmly praised his performance. The resignations of five other Ministers are on General Ky’s desk now, it is understood. Another Minister who is at present abroad is expected to resign as soon as he returns to Saigon. The discontent arose less than two weeks before General Ky and other leaders were to attend a seven-nation summit meeting on Vietnam in Manila.

General Ky and his military junta had hoped to present their 16-month-old regime as united and stable before their South-east Asia neighbours. Northern and southern leaders in Vietnam have a tradition of mutual mistrust and suspicion. This was the most important underlying feature of the dispute, but reliable sources said the resignations were also timed for maximum political leverage.

Still Sailing.—Francis Chichester, who is sailing singlehanded, non-stop to Sydney, radioed on Monday that he was 330 miles from Tristan da Cunha, the “Guardian” reported.—London, October 13.