Hanoi rejects move for ‘peace zone'

Press, 5 August 1980, Page 8

Hanoi rejects move for ‘peace zone'

NZPA-Reuter Bangkok J The United Nations Secre- : tary-General (Dr Kurt Waldheim) arrived in Bangkok ( from Hanoi- yesterday for i talks with Thai leaders on i the Kampuchean crisis. 1 He said he would discuss “the great tension in the region in all its aspects.” He ’ declined to elaborate. Dr Waldheim said in Hanoi on Sunday after meeting Vietnamese leaders that he had made some progress. But he expected to i face some tough talking by the Thais, who have rejected

Vietnamese proposals aimed at easing tension along toe Thai-Kampuchean border. Vietnam in turn dismissed proposals from Thailand and its non-communist SouthEast Asian allies for a “demilitarised peace zone” inside Kampuchea. Vietnam wants a demilitarised zone on both sides of toe frontier. Dr Waldheim said he would present the Vietnamese views to the Thai Prime Minister (General Prem Tinsulanonda) and the Foreign

Minister (Air Chief Marshal Siddhi Savetsila) later today. Official Thai sources said Government leaders would treat with suspicion anything Dr Waldheim brought from Hanoi. They said the Thai leaders would emphasise their view that the presence of an estimated 200,000 Vietnamese troops in Kampuchea was the basic issue and that Vietnamese ideas for easing the frontier tension were a diversionary tactic. Vietnam gave its full support to Dr Waldheim’s ef-

forts to bring about a peace- ! ful settlement. The Vietnamese CommunI ist Party General Secretary I (Mr Le Duan)' held an un- ■ scheduled, meeting with Dr • Waldheim, apparently to ■ show Vietnam’s seriousness . in seeking the United ; Nations good offices to help resolve differences with its ; non - communist neighbours ■ over Kampuchea. : Mr Le Duan, the most powerful man in Vietnam, rarely makes public appear-

ances. But he met Dr Waldheim for a 10-minute informal meeting followed by a working dinner at the residence of toe Prime Minister (Mr Pham Van Dong). Also present at the meeting was the Foreign Minister (Mr Nguyen Co Thach) with whom Dr Waldheim held three hours of talks. Mr Ngyen Co Thach rejected proposals by the Association of South-East Asian Nations to set up a United Nations-supervised demilitarised zone inside Kampuchea as the first step to a politcal soluton. The 'A.S.E.AiN. proposal would help the security of Thailand, but not Kampuchea. He. ■ said Vietnam was determined to maintain its stand that any demilitarised zone should be on both sides of the Thai-Kampuchean border. He did not rule out negotiations, but said that the views of the Heng Samrin Government in Phnom Penb must-be considered.