ae BERLIN ¢ ROME © WASHINGTON NLF is discussing coalition govt in South Vietnam § By FREDA COOK HANOI The South Vietnam National Liberation Front is discussing the formation of a coalition gov- ernment in South Vietnam. This was told me by Nguyen Van Tien, leader of the NLF mission here, in a recent exclu- sive interview. Such a coalition would include people inside and outside the NLF—people ‘‘who are prepared to work with us against Ameri- can aggression,” he said. I had asked Tien: “Would you say that the Front is really the government of a great part of South Vietnam? “I have often wondered why you don’t organize some method of establishing government sta- tus which would make it harder for the U.S. to refuse to negoti- ate with you.” He replied: “The matter is under discussion. As you know, about four-fifths of the country and around 10 million of the people are under the control of the Front. : “In that area, the liberated area, committees have been es- tablished at different levels, from the provincial centre to the vil- lage. “These committees administer and organize production, secur- ity, self-defense, medical care, education, cultural activities, everything to do with the wel- fare of the people and the rais- ing of their standard of living. “Certainly the NLF functions as a government, but we don’t yet try to form one. “There are those in the cities who should be part of any South Vietnamese government, but for the time being we cannot work with them because of the Ameri- can occupation. “Our intention is, however, and perhaps in the near future, to set up a coalition govern- ment.” What exactly did he visualize when speaking of a coalition?” “Coalition medns_ including people both inside and outside the Front. People who are pre- pared to work with us against American aggression, who will take common action with us. “In the cities there are many religious people, intellectuals and bourgeois, who would be pre- pared to do this.” “What are the essential planks of your platform?” I asked. “We fight for national inde- pendence, democracy, peace, neutrality and to prepare the way for the eventual unification of our country. “South Vietnamese are one family, walking together with a common aim which trans- cends all other values. “We all want above all free- dom, freedom from foreign in- vaders. Our main objective is not any particular political line. . “But we-cannot and will not work with those who cooperate with the American aggressors. We consider that they are out- side our family.” I checked later with Hue, the press spokesman of the NLF mission, and asked him: “Would ‘you work with members of the present Saigon administration?” “Yes,” he replied. “There are some, whose names I cannot give you, who want independence as we do. With military dictators we cannot work, but with cer- tain civilians now in the Saigon administration it would be pos- sible.” I also asked Tien what his reaction was to the idea some- times expressed by Saigon Viet- namese, that the North wanted to take over the South? “Neither the North wants to take over the South, nor the South the North,” he said. “We seek, as I have said, eventual reunification, but for our immediate aims, the work in each zone should be separate.” “Do you feel that without help from the North you could con- tinue your struggle?” I asked. Tien replied: “Ever since we began our resistance war against the U.S. aggressors, we have said we could go on with the struggle with our own resources . till final victory. “But if we receive help from our friends we can shorten the struggle. We highly appreciate the help given by our kith and kin in the North: without their help the struggle would be long- er; as it is, victory is in sight.” “Are you not very anxious as the war continues to escalate?” “Anxiety is the trouble of the U.S. imperialists, not ours. We are fully prepared for a pro- tracted war. I must tell you frankly that when the Vietna- mese are determined to fight, they are not put off by destruc- tion. If the enemy destroys, we build again tomorrow, even in a few hours, and time after time. “By destroying our food stores they may cause us temporary difficulties, but if one locality - suffers, another must supply it. ’ South Vietnam is very large and very fertile. We cannot lose be- cause we are united and our cause is just.” Tien also told me; “We are sure that the mass movement round the world will get strong- er. We highly value its support of our struggle.” WILLIAM DEVINE, who has been associated with the Cana- dian Tribune over the past several years, first as staff mem- ber, then as Moscow correspon- dent, has been assigned as our staff correspondent in Cuba. He and his wife Ana arrived in Havana a few weeks ago. Be- low he gives Tribune readers his first impressions of the Cuban capital. HAVANA HE hardest thing is to pick out the main impression. Of Havana, that is. So many things strike you all at once, it’s tough to know just where to begin. For example, should we begin with the night life. and the overwhelming abundance of nighteries of all types and sizes, which for the somewhat staid Torontonian are a real eye-opener (eye-closer?). Or should we mention first the seemingly incongruous appear- ance of Coca-Cola, that well known symbol of U.S. impe- rialism in this most anti-impe-— rialist U.S. neighbor? Both were among our very first impressions on the evening of our arrival Better, perhaps, to start with the climate — a balmy 65 to 75 degrees since we've been here. Having escaped from Canada just in time to miss the winter’s worst snow-storm, you can ima- gine the impression that has made. Then there's the foliage—a profusion of the most beautiful greenery we've even seen. Com- bined with the climate, it makes daytime or evening strolling a pleasure that the icy gusts of Canada’s winter rule out. Or, what does Havana look like? Having spent many an hour walking about for a ground’s eye view, and having gazed about in wonderment from our 20th-floor perch in the Havana Libre Hotel, we could, we think, write an ode to the clean, graceful sweep of Ha- vana’s ocean front, to the tall, soaring structures of its skyline (a Christmas-tree fantasy at night), to the gleaming whiteness of its buildings as seen from above, and to the refreshing and buoyant airiness of it- all. All of these things, seen and An ocean-front view of Havana’s skyline, with the National Hotel and the Havyan in the centre foreground. In centre background is the statue to Jose Marti on Revolut HAVANA felt in quick succession, crowed in on us at once. And we're still a little breathless trying to figure out what has hit us most. But we'll chance it anyway. On balance, and overall and all that, the thing that swings the most is — the music. What we mean is, there’s so much of it. And it’s all over the place. Everywhere, and everytime, music possibly can be, it’s there —throughout the hotel, from loudspeakers in the streets and parks, even from makeshift bands in trucks loaded with young people rolling past down the highways and byways. Talk about outdoor living — it’s outdoor everything here. So the soft breezes and tro- pical flora and all those other things we mentioned) combine with that all-pervading music to make Havana — well, the pleasantest city we’ve met yet. Which may explain something we've been saving till now—the people. They're more than pleas- ant. They have to be high up on the list of the world’s most. good- natured, cheerful and friendly people. Pe One small (?) example. The other day I asked a young fellow on the street where to board a certain bus. He proceeded to take me two blocks out of his way, board the bus with me, and disembark with me, all on the excuse that he was going more or less that way anyway. Now, every Cuban isn’t stand- ing about waiting to render that kind of service. But it gives you an idea. Fact is, it’s the people that have impressed us most. Just to re-touch on a couple of points mentioned earlier. First, the night life. Cubans en- joy their after-sundown time immensely. The main streets around our hotel are always crowded with leisurely and re- laxed strollers. It’s a traditional way of life. And for the evening walk- abouts, there’s never a lack of a handy oasis, many built since the Revolution, for that pause that refreshes, where, often as not, there they are—having a Coke. This fazed us a bit at first. But Cubans had become Coke drinkers under the heavy. -influ- ence of the U.S. before the Re- uN March 31, 1967—PACIFIC TRB 5 ih jon Sqv e b M I : ly ‘nt volution. So whet an a left behind a COU ei the Cubans modille® ie a bit and kept on in ("Bur keeping the pottles Ti circulation. 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