Vietnam's party chief almost certain to lose his job
HANOI - Vietnam's communist party chief, Le Kha Phieu, is "99 percent" certain to lose his job when the party's central committee meets
next week to consider major leadership changes, a senior official told AFP Thursday.
The powerful committee, which will open next Wednesday and last for up to a fortnight, is likely to push for Phieu's dismissal,
the official said, asking not to be named.
Diplomats and analysts say Phieu has been fighting a rearguard action against mounting efforts to unseat him for a performance
regarded as lacklustre.
The 170-strong committee will decide on the personnel changes to be adopted by a five-yearly party congress due to be held
before the end of next month, the official added.
Analysts believe Phieu is likely to be replaced by President Tran Duc Luong, a man long regarded as the least powerful of the
country's three top leaders.
Reformist Prime Minister Phan Van Khai is likely to replace Luong as president despite having sought to leave public life at
least twice in the past two years.
He has been persuaded to stay on as a stop-gap measure for the next two years, the senior official said.
Khai is likely to be replaced in the premiership by First Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, a fellow reformer who also
has the confidence of the foreign business community and has long been groomed to succeed him.
Agence France Presse - March 8, 2001.
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