Ky Reshuffles Cabinet

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31111, 14 July 1966, Page 15

Ky Reshuffles Cabinet

(N.Z.P.A. -Reuter—Copyright) SAIGON, July 13. General Ky today reorganised his Cabinet with six major changes, seen as a move to strengthen his Government after the recent wave of Buddhist opposition.

Lieutenant-General Nguyen Van Thieu, the Chief of State, formally approving the changes at a ceremony at his state residence, said that they would increase the Government’s efficiency without changing its basic policies. General Ky created a second deputy premiership and gave the post to a civilian, Dr. Nguyen Luu Vien, a Buddhist from the southern branch of the church which did not join the Unified Buddhist Church’s campaign to topple the military Government. The sole Deputy-Prime Minister until now has been Lieutenant-General Nguyen Huu Co, the Defence Minister and a powerful figure in the policy-making “Directory.” The appointment of a civilian to high office comes after other moves to give the regime a less militaristic appearance—notably the introduction of an equal number

of civilians into the Directory of 10 generals last month and the formation of a new civil-ian-military advisory council. A Buddhist from the Southern Delta, served as Deputy Premier and Secretary of the Interior in the ousted civilian Government of Tran Van Huong. General Ky also announced that he was changing the Interior Ministry to an administration commissariat under his own office and named the former Deputy Interior Minister, Nguyan Van Tuong, to head the commissariat. Elections for a constituent assembly have been scheduled

for September to help restore civilian Government to South Vietnam. Splinter groups from leading religious and political organisations on Tuesday called for a boycott of the elections.