Word: souvanna
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Dates: during 1960-1969
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Premier Prince Souvanna Phouma of Laos is clearly a man who prefers the comforting sound of temple bells to the strident sounds of war. And although he was hoisted to the premiership by young (26) and moody Paratroop Captain Kong Le after a successful coup d'état in August, Souvanna basically abhorred soldiers in government ("There is always a coup in the offing"). He loved peace. To re-establish it after seven years of trouble with the pro-Communist Pathet Lao, Souvanna hopefully sought to end the nagging civil war by forming a government of "national union" that...
Laos, where Premier Prince Souvanna Phouma has lately been trying to play the neutralist game, slipped ever closer to the precipice edge. To the south, an anti-Communist army faction led by General Phoumi Nosavan has been in obdurate though mostly nonviolent revolt against Prince Souvanna since last September. On a good will tour a fortnight ago. genial Prince Souvanna awakened one morning in the small northern village of Moung Sai, his head still dizzy from ceremonial quaffing of a strong rice spirit called choum, to learn that the royal capital, Luangprabang. had gone over to General Phoumi. Last week...
...Prince Souvanna's first reaction was to accuse the U.S. Government of plotting against him. His next move amounted to public admission that with his support on the right vanishing, he had become a virtual prisoner of the Communist Pathet Lao guerrillas-who happen to be headed by his half brother, Prince Souphanouvong. Under pretext of negotiations with Souvanna, the Pathet Lao have ringed his jittery capital of Vientiane with 2,000 to 4,000 men, and not only civilians but Souvanna's soldiers as well must now get passes from the Pathet Lao to clear the Communist...
Basic Feeling. These gentle snubs to Russia had a soundly practical motive. The $1,500,000 government payroll for September was way overdue. The money as usual had to come from the U.S., and the U.S. had been annoyed at Souvanna Phouma's flirting with the Communists. Last week, in the somewhat more promising atmosphere, the U.S. announced that the payroll would be met. Prince Souvanna responded by publishing a National Assembly resolution declaring that "within the country, Laos rejects and combats Communism as incompatible with its religion, traditions and the basic feelings of the Laotian people...
Last week's resumption of aid amounted to recognition of the fact that Prince Souvanna has the only government in sight. The U.S. hopes to strengthen his hand in negotiating with the Pathet Lao. But the negotiators only meet on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. In Laos no one is in a hurry...