NATIONAL United Front (NUF) member Sam Rainsy distanced himself from knowledge of

information contained in the "KR Papers", saying that the NUF had no military

mandate nor any connection with hardline Khmer Rouge.

The NUF - an opposition grouping of the Funcinpec, Cambodian Neutral, Son Sann and

Sam Rainsy parties - is highlighted in the papers as being the vehicle which Ranariddh

was courting Anlong Veng to join. Ta Mok, Nuon Chea and other rebel leaders were,

according to the papers, secretly plotting to betray NUF once the deal was struck.

Through the door opened by Ranariddh, the KR planned to re-enter society and reinstigate

a 1975-style regime "led by the poor peasant farmers".

Rainsy - speaking on May 20, the day following Ranariddh's resignation as NUF president

in favor of Son Soubert - said of the documents: "Supposing they're true, [then

Ranariddh] was totally in violation of NUF statutes, bylaws and objectives.

"[He] had no mandate to commit NUF [to any alliance with Anlong Veng],"

Rainsy said.

Rainsy said that NUF's 14-point platform involved neither violence nor having an

army. "If it's true that Ranariddh was working [with Anlong Veng]... it is beyond

his scope [and] mandate as president of NUF. But I'm not in a position to make any

investigation. I cannot talk on behalf of Ranariddh or Fun-cinpec."

When asked if the documents indicate the KR wanted to use a weakened Ranariddh "like

Sihanouk in 1970" to effectively return to Democratic Kampuchea, Rainsy said

that Ranariddh - whether he was naive or not - could not be held responsible for

the ulterior motives of a potential alliance partner. He said such was the same throughout

politics.

Later, Rainsy said he thought Ranariddh was clever enough not to be used by the Khmer

Rouge. "It's just like a chess game. Maybe Ranariddh had a counter plan."

Rainsy said that Ranariddh merely had the objective of courting the KR for integration

- something that Hun Sen later achieved.

"Hun Sen made two deals, with Ieng Sary - the right-hand of Pol Pot - and Ke

Pauk - the right-hand of Ta Mok. In dealing with the Khmer Rouge, Hun Sen is the

champion," he said.

Rainsy said that if the "KR Papers" proved that Anlong Veng plotted to

use Ranariddh's overtures, then "who's to say Ke Pauk [or Ieng Sary] is not

having second thoughts, that the same suspicions [can't be harbored] about Ke Pauk

with Hun Sen now".

When asked if the documents seemed to prove the existence of a concrete KR plan to

allow Funcinpec control of the provinces, against KR control of district levels and

below, Rainsy said: "I'm not really in a position to comment. These are matters

with which I'm not acquainted."

He said that while "secret plans" can be talked about, what should be concentrated

on was what had actually happened.

In the case of Hun Sen's alliance with Sary and Pauk, "morally speaking, politically

speaking, security speaking, that is the serious matter. There should be concern

for the real things, rather than some secret plan."