‘60,000 Vietnamese with U.S. planes invading Cambodia’

Press, 6 January 1978, Page 5

‘60,000 Vietnamese with U.S. planes invading Cambodia’

3XZPA Bangkok An estimated 60,000 Vietnamese troops backed by American-made planes have captured most of the Cambodian “Parrot’s Beak” and are reported to be within 96km of Phnom Penh, according to intelligence sources in Bangkok.

The sources said that the superior Vietnamese forces, outnumbering the belea= guered Cambodians by more than two to one, were in an easy position to march on Phnom Penh but apparently were refraining from doing so.

“If the Vietnamese wanted to take Phnom Phen they would be there by now since the latest move by the Vietnamese apparently began in early December,” one intelligence an® t said.

Troops from six Vietnamese divisions — an estimated 60,000 men — are involved in the fighting, according to Thai inte 11 ige n c e information. Packed by American-made armoured vehicles and planes, probably powerful propeller-driven Al 8s captured during the Vietnam war. the Vietnamese enjoy considerable superiority over the ill-equipped Cambodian force, estimated at 25,000 men.

In one month of fighting, the Vietnamese have apparently captured most of the Cambodian 2072 sq. km Svey Rieng province, called “the Parrot’s Beak” by American troops who fought there during the Vietnam war.

Radio Phnom Penh said that villagers were harvest’ ing rice in Srok Tbong Khmum, an area near the Vietnamese border just north of the Parrot’s Beak. If true, the report would indicate that the Vietnamese have not moved very far into Cambodia at that pc'nt. The two communist neighbours have been waging a quiet border war since 1975. The fighting received little publicity- until New Year’s Eve when Cambodia broke diplomatic relations with Vietnam and accused it of mounting an invasion. The Viprnamese have denied invading Cambodia and say its troops are fighting in self-defence. A Radio Hanoi broadcast

has again called for peace and said, “Nobody can destroy the great ' bonds of friendship and solidarity between the peoples of the two countries — Vietnam and Cambodia.” Vietnam has received most of its war material support from Moscow, while Cambodia leans towards Peking. China appears to have been carefully following a middle course so far ih the dispute. An official spokesman at the week-end regretted the border fighting and voiced hopes of a peaceful solution through negotiations.

Cambodia’s Ambassador to Hanoi (Mr Sok Kheang), who arrived in Peking, is now expected to return to Phnom Penh on a scheduled Chinese airline flight on Saturday. Mr Kheang is not expected to have any talks with Chinese officials before his departure, according to the Cambodian envoy in Peking (Mr Pich Cheang).