Hun Sen seeks understanding from ASEAN

Hun Sen seeks understanding from ASEAN

PHNOM PENH (Agencies): Cambodia's Second Prime Minister Hun
Sen met ASEAN ambassadors yesterday, a day before the Southeast
Asian grouping is to discuss Cambodia's forthcoming admission to
its ranks.

"He asked ASEAN ambassadors to convince their governments that
this is an internal affair," spokesman Khieu Kanharith told
reporters later.

Foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian
Nations (ASEAN) are to hold a special meeting in Kuala Lumpur
today to discuss whether to go ahead and admit Cambodia as
scheduled later this month, despite the turmoil.

Cambodia was set to join along with Myanmar and Laos. ASEAN
currently groups Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines,
Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

In Jakarta, Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Ali Alatas
conceded the recent strife in Cambodia was a domestic affair, but
said that the crisis also had an aspect which concerned ASEAN
"and that's our affair."

"We don't want to interfere but we have the right and the
duty, as ASEAN foreign ministers, to discuss what are the
implications of this. That's not interfering," he remarked.

Indonesia helped initiate talks which in 1991 finally ended
decades of civil war in Cambodia.

Fighting erupted again on Saturday when Hun Sen's forces
attacked troops loyal to first Prime Minister Norodom Ranariddh.
Hun Sen announced himself as first premier after Ranariddh fled
to Paris.

In Phnom Penh, a prominent ally of Ranariddh has turned up
dead under mysterious circumstances in the capital, officials
said.

Chau Sambath, who had been labeled a "terrorist" by Hun Sen,
was one of four prominent Ranariddh supporters targeted for
arrest by the country's new regime.

Chau Sambath, who worked in intelligence, is the second of the
four to turn up dead this week. Details of his death were
sketchy, with Hun Sen's people claiming he committed suicide.

On Tuesday, Hun Sen's men killed vocal opponent Ho Sok one day
after he was arrested.

In the wake of the deaths, opponents of Hun Sen were
scrambling to flee Cambodia yesterday.

An uneasy calm fell over the city. Armed soldiers roamed the
streets, civilians kept to the shadows and only a few shops were
open for business.

There were still no schools open and most government officials
had not returned to work, but scooters and pickup trucks were
again cruising the streets.

Laborers began clearing looted car showrooms, while
restaurants slowly filled up.

At least 58 people have been reported dead from the fighting
while hundreds more have been injured.

Breakaway Khmer Rouge sources said yesterday that Hun Sen had
sent many reinforcements to western Cambodia to prevent
Ranariddh's forces from linking up with hard-line Khmer Rouge
guerrillas.

The sources, who monitor troop movements in Cambodia by field
radio, said Hun Sen's forces had blocked routes between Poipet
town on Cambodia's border with Thailand and Siem Reap province.

Meeting -- Page 5

Photo -- Page 6

Compensation -- Page 10