Friday, 11 March 1994 14:00
Phnom Penh Post
By Nate Thayer
Khmer Rouge Ambassador In So-pheap, the faction's current representative in Phnom Penh, gave an interview to the Post on 8 March. He articulated the KR position on these issues to Nate Thayer:
Peace talks: They [the government] have no support from the people. They are very weak.
Their only resource is military means. All their stock is in military means. Their aim is to destroy the five point peace plan. They do not want peace. The five point peace plan means the unity of all the forces in the government. That means Cambodia will be run by the four parties and a truly national government....only national reconciliation on the basis of the five point peace plan can solve the problem. Because they cannot win and we cannot win because the western countries will never let the DK win the war like in 1975, but the Vietnamese and the two headed government cannot win either.
Western powers: Their [government] soldiers are fighting against their will. This war is financed by western powers. What we call the "entente". They give money. When you give money and the money goes to fighting, that is supporting the war. The so-called humanitarian assistance like demining - all this is for fighting against Anlong Veng and elsewhere. About medical assistance, it is also for the fighting. The blood banks are used for the fighting....they cannot win militarily or politically so, one day when the "entente" sees there is no way out, they will accept the five point plan. We hope they will realize this sooner rather than later...who can put pressure on Funcinpec but the western powers? Only the CPP wants the fighting. The majority of Funcinpec do not want it. So why do they fight? Because there is pressure form the "entente". In the "entente" we cite three countries - the United States, France, and Australia.
Funcinpec: It is not to late for HRH Prince Ranariddh and Funcinpec to come to the five point peace plan. If they support it our people will support them. But if they continue this way our nation and people will not have peace and also they will have no political future. If Ranariddh chooses to follow the CPP path of fighting he will not be very popular. Peace is always popular.
Foreign Aid to Cambodia: The donor countries can do very very good things for our people, if they use their aid to put the pressure on the two-headed government to make peace. But to help a government you should make peace. But if they just give money, what percentage of that money do they use to buy armaments to fight? There is no money to increase the salary of teachers, they say themselves that 20 percent of the people have no housing, but they spend money on fighting.