Minh denies report about election

Press, Volume CXI, Issue 32701, 2 September 1971, Page 13

Minh denies report about election

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) SAIGON, September 1. General Duong Van Minh today rejected reports that he had asked the United States Ambassador (Mr Ellsworth Bunker) to organise the South Vietnamese Presidential election in October.

He said that such re-1 ports were insolent, and ! “aimed at damaging the 1 prestige of those who do j not wish to serve foreign j Powers. t < A statement from General s Minh’s office also said that Mr Bunker, in his visit to ( the Minh camp on August < 19, had certified the authen- j ticity of documents which General Minh then used to , back allegations of elections fraud against the Government and support his withdrawal as a candidate the next day. General Minh said that the ( Government “has indulged in ] shameless fraud and oppression of the opposition candidates. “This fact is a clear indi- £ cation of what one should ex- <

pect in the October 3 (Presidential) election, if it takes place,” the statement added. Referring to reports quoting diplomatic sources saying that General Minh asked the United States envoy to organise the election, the statement said: “No normal Vietnamese could request the United

States to organise the election of his Chief of State.” It said that General Minh had in the past requested only that “the United States neutralises the colossal machine which they themselves had built up and for which they are still paying, because this machine is being used to rig the elections.” Diplomatic sources said on Sunday that General Minh had sought some guarantees from the United States about possible American organisation of the Presidential poll. President Nguyen van Thieu now stands alone for re-election on October 3 after the withdrawal of General Minh and Vice-President Nguyen Cao Ky. General Minh’s press office today said that documents he produced to back his withdrawal showed how elaborate the rigging plans could be.

A group of refugee Roman Catholics living just outside Saigon today issued a statement backing the decision of Vice-President Ky to leave the election race. The statement also urged President Thieu, himself a Roman Catholic not to run in a non-contested election. The group , called on the

• President to resign after his i term of office was over at . the end of October and hand . over powers to the National . Assembly so that fresh elec- [ tions could be held within a , period of three months.