II. POLITICAL DEVELOPMENTS IN SOUTH VIETNAM
 1. The Constituent Assembly is scheduled to
 reconvene tomorrow to begin debate on individual
 chapters of the constitution. The assembly concluded
 its discussion of the constitution's "basic principles"
 on 30 December by approving the insertion of a "minorities
 council" provision in the basic principles section.
 The function of the minorities council is to
 advice the government on affairs concerning the various
 minorities.
 2. The assembly voted down proposals by montagnards
 and Khmer delegates that the basic principles section
 provide for "customary courts" and include guarantees
 that the nation will "recognize and maintain" ethnic
 minority traditions, on the grounds that such proposals
 were "details" which should be treated in other
 sections of the constitution.
 Political Views of Southern Renaissance Bloc Leader
 3. Ly Quy Chung, the floor leader of the Southern
 Renaissance bloc in the assembly told US Embassy
 officials this weekend that a completed draft of the
 constitution will be ready by the end of February,
 and that presidential elections could take place as
 early as May or June. He said that the only serious
 contenders for the presidency are former prime minister
 Tran van Huong and assembly chairman Phan Khac
 Suu. He indicated that the southern group intends
 to back Huong.
 4. Chung tried to mitigate the renaissance
 bloc's reputation for extremism in his talk with the
 embassy officers. He claimed that the only constitutional
 question dividing the assembly and the government
 was whether provincial officials should be
 elected. he indicated that a compromise solution
 of this issue is likely. He stated, however,
 that the assembly was determined not to submit the
 final draft of the constitution to the Directorate
 for review.
 2 January 1966
 II-1
 
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 No Foreign Dissem/Background Use Only
 No Foreign Dissem/Background Use Only
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 LYNDON BAINES JOHNSON LIBRARY