Word: phouma
(lookup in dictionary)
(lookup stats)
Dates: all
Sort By: most recent first
(reverse)
...display of distrust was understandable, for the huddle brought together, for the first time in a year, the leaders of the country's three warring factions: Neutralist Premier Souvanna Phouma, pro-Communist Pathet Lao Chief Prince Souphanouvong, and General Phoumi Nosavan, boss of the right-wing forces. Prompted by Souvanna Phouma, the "summit" was to discuss how the Pathet Lao might be brought back to Souvanna's coalition government-which the Reds fled when new fighting broke out a year...
...Laos, South Viet Nam reopened its embassy in Vientiane, which it had closed in 1962 as a protest against Laotian recognition of North Viet Nam. Neutralist Premier Prince Souvanna Phouma announced that he was pleased, but he had little else to smile about. In the endless fighting that goes on in the balled-up little country between its three ruling factions, the rightist forces last week accused the pro-Communist Pathet Lao of launching yet another attack. Talks were under way aimed at arranging a conference this week between the faction leaders, namely Souvanna Phouma, his half brother Pathet...
Just a year after the Geneva agreement consolidated Laos' three warring factions into a single government, the precarious arrangement is falling apart. Reason: the Communists are simply ignoring the truce, as well as their longtime alliance with Neutralist Premier Souvanna Phouma, and are seeking to wrest control of the vital Plain of Jars in central Laos from neutralist troops. Though at first suspicious of the neutralist regime, Rightist General Phoumi Nosavan sent four battalions to help it. Despite such assistance, the neutralist forces under General Kong Le have only one strategic position left on the plain - Phou Theneng mountain...
While the neutralists are increasingly "neutral" against the Reds, Premier Souvanna Phouma continues to insist on a defensive war, is reluctant to take the initiative. "What can I do?" muses Kong Le despondently. "The Premier is always telling me I must not attack. It is very difficult...
...sporadic artillery duel continued, Neutralist Premier Souvanna Phouma desperately tried to get his pro-Communist halfbrother, Pathet Lao Leader Prince Souphanouvong, to agree to a resumption of truce talks. But Souphanouvong vetoed every location for the peace talks suggested by Souvanna Phouma. Sighed a Neutralist colonel: "The discussions move like the tortoise and the war can move like the hare. Maybe before the location for the peace talks is decided, the decision for Laos will have been made in battle...