July 8, 1963 - President Kennedy conferred today with Ambassador Frederick Nolting Jr. about difficulties besetting the Government of South Vietnam. The President, Mr. Nolting, and other U.S. officials are concerned about a wave of non-Communist opposition to the Government of President Ngo Dinh Diem (pictured), which is embroiled in a war against Communist guerrillas. The conversation, held today at the White House, dealt primarily with the war against the Communists and the continuing protests of Buddhists, who maintain that the authoritarian Roman Catholic-oriented Diem regime has been discriminating against their religion. The White House press secretary, Pierre Salinger, said the meeting had been scheduled previously and had no connection with charges that Western newsmen were attacked by Government policemen in Saigon yesterday. The President has made no public comment on that incident, but Mr. Salinger said the matter was being investigated.
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