SOUTH VIETNAM: TWO WOMEN SENATORS WHO COULD BE INCLUDED IN SOUTH VIETNAMESE DELEGATION TO PARIS PEACE TALKS.

Record ID: 258623

  • Title: SOUTH VIETNAM: TWO WOMEN SENATORS WHO COULD BE INCLUDED IN SOUTH VIETNAMESE DELEGATION TO PARIS PEACE TALKS.
  • Date: 2nd December 1968
  • Summary: SENATE BUILDING; SENATE CHAIRMAN; MADAME THO SEATED; MADAME DAI TALKS WITH SENATORS; MADAME DAI AND INTERVIEWER; MADAME DAI SPEAKS (SOF); MADAME THO WITH REPORTER. Initials GHB/V/MR/PF. Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 17th December 1968 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: SAIGON, SOUTH VIETNAM.
  • Country: Vietnam
  • Reuters ID: LVABVVQLD4TKZD17CH9OO1CXG42B
  • Story Text: SOUTH VIETNAMESE GOVERNMENT LEADERS WERE FINALISING AT THE WEEKEND THE COMPOSITION OF THE TEAM WHICH WILL REPRESENT SOUTH VIETNAM AT THE PARIS PEACE TALKS. POLITICAL OBSERVERS IN SAIGON EXPECTED THAT THE FINAL TEAM WOULD BE ANNOUNCED AND READY TO LEAVE FOR PARIS THIS WEEK. AT LEAST ONE WOMAN IS EXPECTED TO HOLD A PROMINENT POSITION IN THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE TEAM BECAUSE OF THE NATIONAL LIBERATION FRONT'S CHOICE OF MADAME NGUYEN THI BINH.

    TWO OF THE LIKELY FEMALE CANDIDATES FOR THE TALKS TEAM ARE SENATOR MADAME NGUYEN PHUOC DAI AND SENATOR MADAME NGUYEN VAN THO, BOTH MEMBERS OF THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE SENATE.

    MADAME DAI, A DOCTOR'S WIFE WITH THREE CHILDREN, WAS THE FIRST WOMAN ADMITTED TO THE BAR IN VIETNAM. SHE IS CHAIRMAN OF THE SENATE LABOUR AND SOCIAL WELFARE COMMITTEE AND HAS ATTENDED MANY INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES.

    MADAME THO, AN ENGLISH TEACHER BEFORE ENTERING THE SENATE, HAS ALSO BEEN ABROAD FOR CONFERENCES. SHE IS MARRIED WITH TWO CHILDREN.

    THE PROBABLE LEADER OF THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE DELEGATION IS FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER PHAM DANG LAM, WHO HAS LED THE SAIGON OBSERVER TEAM IN PARIS FOR THE PAST THREE MONTHS. YESTERDAY (SUNDAY) MR. AVERELL HARRIMAN SAID HE EXPECTED TO GIVE UP THE POST OF CHIEF UNITED STATES NEGOTIATOR WHEN MR. RICHARD NIXON'S ADMINISTRATION TAKES OVER IN THE NEW YEAR.

    AMERICAN SECRETARY OF STATE DEAN RUSK SAID IN WASHINGTON YESTERDAY THAT HE EXPECTED THERE WOULD BE A STAND-DOWN IN THE VIETNAM FIGHTING OVER CHRISTMAS.

    MADAME NGUYEN PHUOC DAI WAS INTERVIEWED IN SAIGON LAST WEEK AND WAS ASKED WHAT SHE THOUGHT THE MAIN PROBLEMS WOULD BE IF THE WAR CAME TO AN END. THE INTERVIEW WAS CONDUCTED IN FRENCH AND MADAME DAI SAID THESE WOULD BE QUITE NUMEROUS. THE FIRST MAJOR TASK WOULD BE TO REORGANISE AND RECONSTRUCT THE COUNTRY AND THE ECONOMY, BEARING IN MING THAT IT WOULD NO LONGER BE A WARTIME ECONOMY. SHE SAID THAT OTHER TASKS WOULD BE INCREASING PRODUCTION AND IMPROVING THE BALANCE OF PAYMENTS.

    MADAME DAI SAID THAT FROM A POLITICAL POINT OF VIEW IT WOULD BE ESSENTIAL TO ATTAIN NATIONAL UNITY AND CARRY OUT SOCIAL REFORMS IMPOSSIBLE DURING WARTIME. ABOVE ALL, VIETNAM HAD TO PREPARE FOR TOTAL REUNIFICATION BASED ON RESPECT FOR THE AUTODETERMINATION OF OTHER PEOPLES.
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