PRIME MINISTER PRINCE BOUN OUM, DEFENCE MINISTER GENERAL PHOUMI NOSAVAN, AND OTHER MEMBERS OF THE ROYAL LAOTIAN GOVERNMENT, ATTENDED A SMART MILITARY PARADE AT THE 'CHINAI MO MAIN' ARMY CAMP IN VIENTIANE DECEMBER 16 TO CELEBRATE THE FIRST ANNIVERSARY OF THE CAPTURE OF THE CITY - ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITAL OF LAOS - FROM THE FORCES OF CAPTAIN KONG LE IN DECEMBER 1960.

AT THE INVITATION OF PRINCE SOUVANNA PHOUMA, THE NEUTRALIST LEADER, PRO-WESTERN PRINCE BOUN OUM AND PRINCE SOUPHANOUVONG, LEADER OF THE PRO-COMMUNIST PATHET LAO, WILL MEET IN VIENTIANE ON DECEMBER 27 FOR A "THREE PRINCES" CONFERENCE. IT IS HOPED THAT DURING THEIR CONFERENCE A COALITION GOVERNMENT WILL BE FORMED.

THE BRITISH AND SOVIET CO-CHAIRMEN OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON LAOS MADE AN URGENT APPEAL TO THE THREE LEADERS TO FORM A COALITION GOVERNMENT SO THAT A UNIFIED DELEGATION COULD BE SENT TO GENEVA WHEN THE CONFERENCE RESUMES ITS WORK IN PLENARY SESSION JANUARY 3.

OFFICIAL LAOTIAN SOURCES REPORTED DECEMBER 20 THAT A TWIN-ENGINED RUSSIAN AIRCRAFT FLEW FIVE TIMES OVER VIENTIANE. THIS WAS THOUGHT TO BE A RECONNAISSANCE OF THE CITY'S DEFENCES BEFORE THE COMING MEETING OF THE PRINCES. PRINCES SOUVANNA PHOUMA AND SOUPHANOUVONG HAVE ASKED PRINCE BOUN OUM TO MOVE ALL ARTILLERY AND ARMOURED UNITS OUT OF THE CAPITAL BEFORE THE MEETING. PRINCE BOUN OUM HAS ASSURED THE TWO PRINCES THAT THERE ARE NO ARTILLERY UNITS IN THE CITY.