Vietnam prepares for party congress

Vietnam prepares for party congress

HANOI (AFP): Vietnam's ruling communist leaders opened week- long talks on Tuesday to prepare for a key party congress due to unleash a major leadership reshuffle, officials said.

Some 170 members of the party's powerful central committee would "discuss the direction of Vietnam's development in the next few years and changes within the party leadership," a party official said.

The meeting of the central committee could be prolonged because of strong differences between factions over the crucial subject of replacing elder party leaders, according to Western diplomats.

Vietnam's number one, conservative party chief Le Kha Phieu, is among those believed to be targeted by the planned reshuffle, after coming under fire for his lackluster performance.