1.
MS PREMIER KY INTRODUCES THIEU TO CABINET MINISTERS (TWO SHOTS)
0.25

2.
MS SIX NEW MEMBERS CONGRATULATING OTHERS
0.39

3.
MCU MINISTERS TALKING AMONG THEMSELVES (TWO SHOTS)
0.48

4.
MS GEN. THIEU OUT OF BUILDING
0.52

5.
CU PREMIER KY
0.53

6.
CU THIEU (PAN TO) KY
0.57



Initials CAR/VS/MK/CA/RBI



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: THE PRIME MINISTER OF SOUTH VIETNAM, AIR VICE MARSHAL NGUYEN CAO KY, YESTERDAY (WEDNESDAY) RESHUFFLED HIS CABINET WITH SIX MAJOR CHANGES. THE MOVE WAS AIMED AT STRENGTHENING 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 RESIDENCE, SAID THE REORGANISATION WOULD INCREASE THE GOVERNMENT'S EFFICIENCY WITHOUT CHANGING ITS BASIC POLICY.

PREMIER KY CREATED A SECOND DEPUTY PREMIERSHIP AND GAVE THE POST TO A CIVILIAN, DR. NGUYEN LUU VIEN. A BUDDHIST, DR. VIEN WAS DEPUTY PREMIER AND SECRETARY OF THE INTERIOR IN THE OUSTED CIVILIAN GOVERNMENT OF DR. TRAN VAN HUONG IN 1965. THE SINGLE DEPUTY PREMIER UNTIL NOW HAS BEEN LIEUTENANT GENERAL NGUYEN HUU CO, THE DEFENCE MINISTER AND A POWERFUL FIGURE IN THE POLICY-MAKING DIRECTORY.

THIS APPOINTMENT OF A CIVILIAN TO HIGH OFFICE FOLLOWS OTHER MOVES TO GIVE THE REGIME A LESS MILITARY APPEARANCE, NOTABLY THE INTRODUCTION OF AN EQUAL NUMBER OF CIVILIANS INTO THE DIRECTORY OF TEN GENERALS LAST MONTH, AND THE FORMATION OF A NEW CIVILIAN-MILITARY ADVISORY COUNCIL.

MILITARY CONTROL INCREASED, HOWEVER, IN TWO OTHER MAJOR CHANGES. THERE WERE NO CHANGES IN THE KEY MINISTRIES OF DEFENCE, FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND ECONOMY OR REVOLUTIONARY DEVELOPMENT.