GOVT REVILES SIHANOUK

Press, Volume CIX, Issue 32252, 21 March 1970, Page 11

GOVT REVILES SIHANOUK

(N.Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright)

SAIGON, March 20.

Cambodia’s new interim Chief of State, Mr Cheng Heng, yesterday accused the deposed ruler, Prince Norodom Sihanouk, of “monumental blunders.”

In a message to the nation broadcast in a French-langu-age bulletin by Radio Phnom Penh, he called on the people to “be calm and respect order for the honour of the fatherland.”

Mr Cheng Heng’s message k was full of violent invective io against Prince Sihanouk, who,; t he said, had “absolutely no [ S care for the welfare of the' people.” it The “high politics” of the I deposed Chief of State had it consisted of allowing the Viet o Cong to settle on Cambodian i a territory -and reaping profits I c from transporting their arms, d he said. « His message was followed | by General Lon Nol, the| Prime Minister, who des-j| cribed the Viet Cong 1 and North Vietnamese'! simply as “our Vietnamese. I enemies.” General Lon Nol, who is I also Defence Minister and | Armed Forces Commander.,’ described his Government as i a Government of salvation and said that any negligence might bring about the death of the country. A former South Vietnamese J minister said yesterday that I Prince Sihanouk might have I engineered the Phnom Penh 1 coup which deprived him of N power. “I think the overthrow of Prince Sihanouk had his I agreement,” a former Deputvi Prime Minister, Mr Tran Van! Tuyen, told reporters. Prince Sihanouk wanted to change Cambodia’s policy and’ by tacitly agreeing to a coup, he could avoid criticism from! the Communist side, he said. I But Mr Tuyen, a practis-1 ing lawyer, added that the: resumption of diplomatic! relations between Cambodia! and Saigon would be difficult as long as Cambodia , retained her neutralist policy. 11 The Australian External Affairs Minister (Mr William) McMahon) indirectly blamed! “Vietnamese Communists” for i the coup in Cambodia. I /

In a general statement on foreign policy Mr McMahon said: “The fundamental causes of the present situation lie with the Vietnamese Communists, who for some time have been violating Cambodia’s territory and have been using areas in the east of the country to support their military operations in South Vietnam.”

The French Post Office said that Post Office authorities in Phnom Penh had warned that they would immediately cut off any telephone calls from abroad in which the Cambodian political situation was discussed.