VIETNAMESE DELEGATION GREETED IN ROME
Rome
A delegation of the Trade Union Confederation of the Democratic Republic of Vietnam was given an enthusiastic reception upon arriving here November 15. The occasion was considered doubly important because it was the first time that any official representatives of the DRV visited Italy and because only the month before the very same delegation had been denied entrance. Previous delegations seeking material aid for the freedom struggle in Vietnam had also been barred by the Italian government.
The Vietnamese delegation included Nguyen Cong Hoa, the vice-president of the confederation, Nguyen Duy Thuyet and Do Trong Hop. They were met-at the Fiuncino airport by representatives of the CGIL (Confederazione Generale Italiana dei Lavoratori], the Communist party, prominent intellectuals, and hundreds of youth who came spontaneously from all parts of the city, bringing red flags and posters. At the airport, the colors of the DRV were hoisted.
When the three Vietnamese leaders had completed the customs formalities and were free to leave, the crowd of youth, who were from many different political organizations, surged forward, waving their flags and shouting, "Ho Chi Minh"; "The U.S. Is Like the 8.S."; "Free Vietnan.
A delegation of workers helped the three smiling Vietnamese to move through the dense crowd of well-wishers.
After the visitors had departed in an official car, the youth formed an auto parade with their own cars, moving slowly down three lanes, honking their horns and shouting, "Ho Chi Minh!"
The normal traffic had to slow down and keep in line. The police, who were unprepared, could only look on and shrug their shoulders.