The World - News from June 18, 1987

The Vietnamese regime is permeated by corruption and inefficiency, which must be eliminated so economic and social reforms can be achieved, Nguyen Van Linh, the new head of the Communist Party, told the opening session of the National Assembly in Hanoi. Linh, known as an economic reformer, said corruption has spread to all levels of the party and bureaucracy and that the party Politburo is preparing to “purify” them. The weeklong session of the 496-member assembly is expected to replace top government officials who quit their party posts last winter.