Vietnam prepares for party congress

Wed, 14 Mar 2001, 00:00 WIB | Source: AFP

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.

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