Evening star., 1961-12-27
LAOS

LAOS
Continued From Page Al
divide a 16-man cabinet, with
four from Prince Gums fac
ton. eight neutralists and four
from Prince Souphanouvong's
pro-Communist Pathet Lao.
But Prince Boun Gum said
he told Prince Souvanna the
eight neutralists should be di-
Hided equally between Souvanna
neutralists and Vientiane neu-
tralists.
Further. the important posts
OF defense and interior must
be given to the right-wingers
"because Souvanna is not yet a
Neutral. Prince Boun Oum
said.
Different Formula
This was an entirely differ
ent formula from what the two
opposition princes had ex-
pected.
Prince Boun Gum said a con-
ference to thrash out the dis
tribution of jobs was "a car
nival and I don't want to take
part in it the two princes
wanted to visit me so they came
and I said thank you for your
visit. I have nothing more to
tell Prince Souvanna Phouma.
There was no foreseeable ac-
tion which diplomats could
take Immediately to salvage the
meeting.
1t was Prince Souvanna
Phouma's first visit to Vien-
tiane since December 8, 1860.
when his government aban-
doned the capital to the ad-
Vancing forces of Gen. Phoumi
Nosavan. now the deputy pre-
mier in Prince Boun Gums
government. Prince Soupha-
nouvong and his top lieutenants
escaped from a Vientaine prison
in the spring of 1860.
. Coalition can only be formed
II each party brings to the
meeting good faith and good
will" Prince Souvanna Phouma
said at the airport. II appeal
to all Lao and particularly to
the population of Vientiane to
support firmly policy of peace
and strict neutrality and to
support the three princes meet
ing until a final result is
achieved"
: Prince Souphanouvong in his
arrival blast charged:
"A group of Prince Boun Oum
continues to execute plans Of
the American warmongers and
Lao clique who have an evil
intention to retard the peace
full settlement by seeking by all
means to aggravate and COM
plicate the political situation,
resume military activities and
poison tension in all kingdom.
particularly in Central and
South Laos, by sowing death
among the population"
The people of Vientiane lined
the streets and silently watched
the two princes drive to the
two heavily guarded villas
where they are quartered
alongside the United States
Embassy. One eXu5erant SOL
dier from Prince Souphanou-
vong's Pathet Lao army flashed
a big smile and kept waving to
the crowd. but he got no re-
sponse.
L. Jobs Were at Issue
/ The three princes agreed in
early October that Prince Sou
wanna Phouma would head a
16-man coalition government
including eight neutraliSts.
eight from Prince Boun Gums
conservative faction and four
from the pro-Communist Pa
thet Lao. Their next task was to
agree on which faction would get
which post. particularly the
Defense Ministry which con-
trolls the Army and the Interior
Ministry which controls the
police.
The princes were preceded
yesterday by their military
guards of 10 soldiers each who
were flown here from the Plaine
des Jarres by planes of the
three-nation International Con-
troll Commission.
A spokesman for Prince Boun
Gums government said police
failed to find any trace of in
flammatory leaflets melting
government troops to mutiny
which the neutralist or Pathet
Lao soldiers repeatedly scat
tered on their arrival.
Leaflet Authenticated
Officers Of both the escort
detachments denied their men
threw out any leaflets in Vien-
tiane, but United States En-
bassy officials said they were
certain of the authenticity of
a leaflet which they said a Lao
employe Of the embassy picked
up. The embassy employe re-
ported he say bundles of leaf
lets being thrown from a truck
on the road from the airport by
soldiers with red neckerchiefs.
A spokesman for Prince Boun
q