The following is a lightly-edited unofficial translation of interviews given by
King Norodom Sihanouk to his Bulletin Mensuel de Documentation (BMD) staff in Beijing.
Interview, Bejing, July 12, l997
BMD Team: "Sire, has, in Phnom Penh, H.E. Samdech Hun Sen really made a Coup
d'Etat?"
Norodom Sihanouk: "H.E. Samdech Hun Sen has already answered this
question. Me, I am far from my beloved Homeland. As a consequence, I can not present
myself as a "judge" with regard to a "Coup" or "non-Coup
d'Etat" in Phnom Penh and in the rest of Cambodia. But all that I can permit
myself to ask (affectionately) to the victorious Hun Sen and the CPP is:
First, respect and apply to both the letter and in spirit all the articles of our
Constitution of 1993.
Second, remain 100 percent loyal to each sentence of our joint oaths made before
Preah Moha Svetchatr in the Throne Hall of the Royal Palace in Phnom Penh.
Third, respect to the letter all the accords and international "covenants"
that we (SNC, RGC) signed between 1991 and 1993 during the SNC and UNTAC era, and
between 1993 and June 1997, during the RGC era.
BMD Team: "Sire, if the National Assembly, rather disfigured today, and
the "RGC" of Samdech Hun Sen, in the coming days, submit to You for approval
some Krets or Krams concerning the new composition of the RGC and other very serious
matters, what will You do?
Norodom Sihanouk: "I will say to H.E. Samdech Hun Sen, to the deputies,
etc...that it is for H.E. Samdech Chea Sim, the acting Head of State to sign these
Krets and Krams. I will not oppose the signatures of H.E. Samdech Chea Sim. But I
will not sign personally these Krets and Krams."
BMD Team: "Sire, what is Your opinion on the suspension of aid to Cambodia
decided by the donor countries (Japan, Gernamy, the USA, etc...)?"
Norodom Sihanouk: "I wish that Japan, Gernamy, the USA, Australia, France,
ASEAN, etc...give directly to the beneficiaries some humanitarian aid such as medicines
and other things to the hospitals Calmette, Preah Kossomak, Preah Sihanouk where
one finds many (people) seriously wounded; some food to prisoners both male and female;
and have the kindness to repair and make more hygenic Cambodia's prisons...As for
other aid, this depends and will depend on the donors which are sovereign countries
in complete control of their decisions one way or another."
Interview, Bejing, July 14, l997
BMD Team: "Sire, it is said that in his anti-Samdech Hun Sen and CPP resistance,
Samdech Norodom Ranariddh is accepting effective aid "on the field of battle"
(in the province of Siem Reap, for example) from the Khmer Rouge of Khieu Samphan,
and, for their part, certain Ranariddhistes are accusing Samdech Hun Sen of using
equally some Khmer Rouge of Ieng Sary and others (the ex-"Underground",
etc...) What is your opinion with regard to the question of "using the Khmer
Rouge"?"
Norodom Sihanouk: "The Ieng Saryistes have affirmed that they are
"neutral" in this armed conflict between the very superior Hun Senistes
and the "crushed" Ranariddhistes. This said, I condemn absolutely all recourse
to the Khmer Rouge, be they Pol Potistes or Ieng Saryistes or Khieu Samphanistes
or ex-Son Senistes or ex-"Underground", etc...
These Khmer Rouge have committed unpardonable crimes against humanity.
It is very immoral to resort to THEM in this very disgusting struggle for power,
an armed struggle which has already cost so much loss, ruin, misery, suffering, despair
to our innocent little people and who (with just cause) are not involved.
BMD Team: "Sire, it is said that the "Viets" are "behind"
Samdech Hun Sen and his army in their irresistable, anti-Ranariddhiste "Blitzkrieg".
Moreover Samdech Hun Sen went to Vietnam briefly before the launch of his "Blitzkrieg"
on Cambodia. What do You think of this "affair"?"
Norodom Sihanouk: "I do not have any "CIA" or "Second
Bureau" or "Intelligence Service" to aid me in understanding the reality
of these "things". But I must ask to all foreign countries without exception
to not give any aid (whatever the nature of this aid might be) to the Cambodian belligerents
odiously engaged in this abominable and unjustifiable enterprise of "InterKhmere-Destruction".
