Laos Cabinet sorry about detentions

Press, Issue 33844, 16 May 1975, Page 9

Laos Cabinet sorry about detentions

A’.Z P A VIENTIANE. May 15. The coalition (mh eminent announced today that it would send a joint team to the southern town of Savannakhet to negotiate the immediate release of three ( nited Stales aid officials held hostage by demonstrators.

A Government spokesman told a press conference that the Cabinet was "very sorry”

about their detention which came after anti-American demonstrations yesterday in Savannakhet and the Royal capital of Luang Prabang. The three American officials were identified as Daniel P. Ster, aged 28, of ! Columbus, Indiana, Charles R. Pearch, aged 63, of Salem, | West. Virginia, and Sanford [J. Stone, aged 58, of Cleveland, Ohio. They were in the house of the Provincial Governor when student demonstrators! burst in and announced that they would be held until a Government delegation wgs sent to the town to discuss their demands. These were believed to include the expulsion of alli Americans, an end to United;

States aid programmes and moves against the few Rightwing Government ministers to have survived the latest Left-wing campaign. A United States Embassy spokesman said that it was understood the officials were now under house arrest in their own homes. In Luang Prabang demonstrators ransacked the Usaid compound, smashing windows, breaking furniture, and tearing up any papers. Earlier they briefly seized the local radio station and broadcast demands for the removal of the city’s Rightwing Governor, Bouahom Souvandy. Meanwhile the Cabinet has approved the resignations of four Right-wing ministers and a number of Right-wing generals after similar demon- ; strations last week, a Gov[ernment spokesman said. The spokesman said that it he Prime Minister (Prince iSouvanna Phouma) had been requested by the Cabinet to act on behalf of the departing ministers — for defence and finance and deputy ministers for public works and foreign affairs — until their! replacements were chosen. The new names would be submitted to the next Cabinet meeting on Wednesday.

Although the new ministers are expected to be from the Vientiane side to conform with the delicate balance of the coalition Government formed after the 1973 peace agreement, they are also expected to be moderates acceptable to rhe proCommunist Pat het Lao. who are now’ in a dominant position in the country.