CABLE TO HENRY KISSINGER FROM ALEXANDER HAIG

• Document Type: CREST
• Collection: Library of Congress
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): LOC-HAK-503-2-11-8
• Release Decision: RIPLIM
• Original Classification: T
• Document Page Count: 18
• Document Creation Date: January 11, 2017
• Document Release Date: May 11, 2010
• Sequence Number: 11
• Publication Date: May 26, 1970
• Content Type: CABLE

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T O P S F C R E T SENSITIVE 26053OZ MAY 70
FROM: GENERAL HAIG, SAIGON 657
T0: THE WHITE HOUSE, EXCLUSIVELY EYES ONLY DR. KISSINGER
ATTACHED IS A NEAR VERBATIM ACCOUNT OF MY MEETING WITH MATAK.
I AM AGAIN FORWARDING THE FULL TEXT TO INSURE NO NUANCE HAS BEEN
LOST ALONG THE WAY.
YOU WILL NOTE THAT MATAK DEMONSTRATES A LEVEL OF
CONFIDENCE, SOPHISTICATION AND PRACTIBILITY LACKING IN LON NOL.
HE IS APPARENTLY THE MOVING FORCE IN THE CAMBODIAN GOVERNMENT
THOUGH HE APPEARS FOR THE PRESENT TO BE WILLING TO GIVE FULL
DEFERENCE TO LON NOLS NUMBER ONE POSITION.
YOU WILL NOTE THAT MATAK HAS ACCEPTED THE VALUE OF CONTINUING
WITH AN OSTENSIBLY NEUTRAL STANCE FOR CAMBODIA. HE ALSO FEELS AS
DO I THAT THIS POSTURE MAY NOT SURVIVE AND THAT FLEXIBILITY
SHOULD BE RETAINED ON THIS ISSUE IN THE LONGER TERM.
MORI/CDF
C00902583
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GENERAL HAIG - SIRIK MATAK INTERVIEW
AT THE RESIDENCE OF SIRIK MATAK,
PHNOM PENH, 1800 HOURS, 23 MAY 1970.
PARTICIPANTS: SIRIK MATAK
B GEN. A. M. HAIG
LLOYD M. RIVES, CHARGE D'AFFAIRES A.I.
MAJOR TOOLE
GENERAL HAIG: I WOULD LIKE TO ELUCIDATE FOR YOU THE VIEWS OF
PRESIDENT NIXON ON THE CHANGING CONFLICT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA. THIS
MORNING I HAD A LONG, FRUITFUL TALK WITH GENERAL LON NOL IN WHICH
I RECOUNTED THE KINDS OF SHORT TERM ASSISTANCE PRESIDENT NIXON
HOPES TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE YOUR COUNTRY. DURING THIS
CONVERSATION, THE PRIME MINISTER ALSO PROVIDED ME WITH THE BENEFIT
OF YOUR GOVERNMENT.'S THINKING IN THIS AREA. MY GOVERNMENT WILL
NOW LOOK INTO YOUR NEEDS FOR MATERIEL AND MAY BE ABLE TO ASSIST
WITH SQME. SOME I AM SURE WILL PROVE IMPRACTICAL. IT SEEMS TO ME
TO BE AN IMPORTANT STEP FOR YOUR PLANS THAT WE UNDERTAKE AN
ASSISTANCE PROGRAM WHICH IS REALISTIC IN SCOPE, WILL HAVE AN
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IMMEDIATE EFFECT AND WILL NOT BY ITS VERY NATURE DEPRIVE US OF
THE KIND OF LEGISLATIVE SUPPORT AT HOME NEEDED TO MOUNT AN
EFFECTIVE PROGRAM.
SIRIK MATAK: I AM VERY HAPPY THAT YOU HAVE COME TO TALK. OF
COURSE, YOU RECEIVED THE PRECISE DETAILS OF THE CURRENT MILITARY
SITUATION EARLIER TODAY. IT IS NOT IN MY FIELD TO DISCUSS THIS.
HOWEVER, I CAN SAY THAT IN GENERAL, WE HAVE AN URGENT NEED FOR AN
ARMED FORCE, A FORCE ARMED SUFFICIENT TO OUST THE ENEMY FROM
OUR TERRITORY. WE HAD ONLY A VERY SMALL ARMY, 3O,O0O MEN. JUST
ENOUGH REALLY TO EFFECTIVELY CONTROL THE POPULATION. HOWEVER, IT
WAS NOT AT ALL CAPABLE OF COMBATTING ANOTHER' NATION. THIS
SITUATION IN MY OPINION WAS INTENTIONALLY PREPARED BY SIHANOUK
AND DATES BACK FROM THE MOMENT THAT RELATIONS WERE BROKEN BETWEEN
OUR TWO COUNTRIES. FROM THAT POINT ON9 SIHANOUK PREFERRED TO
COLLABORATE WITH THE ENEMY AND THE EFFECTIVENESS OF OUR ARMY WAS
GREATLY IMPAIRED. ALSO, PLEASE INFORM PRESIDENT NIXON THAT
SIHANOUK IS FINISHED IN 'CAMBODIA AND IS NOW RESIDING WITH HIS
FRIENDS.
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GENERAL HAIG: ALL THIS HAS BEEN EVIDENT TO US BUT I WONDER
WHETHER SIHANOUK IS SOMEWHAT LESS OF AN HONORED GUEST IN PEKING
THAN HE WOULD HAVE PREFERRED TO BE.
SIRIK MATAK: UNQUESTIONABLY. WE LISTEN TO RADIO PEKING AND WHAT
HE IS NOW SAYING IS NOT IN HIS STYLE. IT IS NOT SIHANOUK WHO
SPEAKS. WE ARE CONVINCED THAT HE IS INDEED A CAPTIVE OF MAO
TSE-TUNG.
GENERAL HAIG : I SUGGESTED TO GENERAL LON NOL THIS MORNING THAT NOW
THAT THE ENEMY HAS BEEN FORCED TO OPERATE SO FAR FROM HIS BASES
OF SUPPLY, HE IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY VULNERABLE. I SPOKE OF
THE IMPORTANCE OF PREVENTING THE ENEMY FROM "SWIMMING IN THE SEA OF
THE CAMBODIAN PEOPLE". YOU MUST NURTURE AND STRENGTHEN THE WILL
OF THE CAMBODIAN PEOPLE TO RESIST. I WOULD BE GRATEFUL IF YOU
COULD GIVE ME YOUR THOUGHTS ON THIS MATTER.
SIRIK MATAK: I CAN SAY. THAT WE FORESAW THE COMMUNISTS' MOVEMENT
INTO THE HEART OF CAMBODIA. WITH THEIR VITAL CACHES OVERRUN, WE
KNEW THAT THEY HAD-NO 'CHOICE BUT TO COME THIS WAY. BUT NOW THEY
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DO NOT CARRY HEAVY ARMS. THEY MANEUVER IN SMALL GROUPS OF UP TO
30 MEN AND WE TOO ARE OFTEN FORCED TO FIGHT "GUERRILLA WAR"
AGAINST THEM. BUT IT IS ONLY A QUESTION OF TIME BEFORE WE
ORGANIZE OURSELVES AND OUST THEM. THE DECISION OF PRESIDENT
NIXON TO ATTACK THE SANCTUARIES HAS IMMENSELY AIDED CAMBODIA AND
ELIMINATED A GREAT DANGER FOR THE CAMBODIAN PEOPLE. HOWEVER,
THE VC/NVA REMAIN VERY STRONG AND VERY MOBILE. IF WE COULD HAVE
AN ARMY STRONG ENOUGH, WE COULD HELP OURSELVES AND HELP OUR
FRIENDS BY BEATING THE COMMUNISTS. OUR POPULATION IS HEALTHY
AND IT UNDERSTANDS THE STUPID MISTAKES THAT THE ENEMY HAS MADE.
OUR PEOPLE ARE JUST NOW REALIZING THE ROLE THAT SIHANOUK PLAYED
IN ALL THIS. THEY HAVE LEARNED THAT YOU CANNOT WORK OUT AN
"ARRANGEMENT" WITH COMMUNISTS. THERE CAN NEVER BE A DEAL THAT
WILL LAST.
GENERAL HAIG: THIS MORNING THE QUESTION OF JOINING A BLOCK OF
NATIONS LIKE SEATO AROSE AND I DISCOURAGED THIS FOR THE TIME
BEING. I BELIEVE YOU SHOULD RETAIN YOUR FLEXIBILITY UNTIL THE
ENEMY'S INTENTIONS BECOME MORE CLEAR AND THE SITUATION ITSELF
CLARIFIES. IF THE SITUATION STABILIZES, HOPEFULLY WE CAN PREVENT
FURTHER ESCALATION OF THE CONFLICT IN SOUTHEAST ASIA. FROM AN
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INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE CAMBODIA'S NEUTRALITY STILL APPEARS TO
OFFER THE BEST HOPE FOR A NEGOTIATED FORMAULA WHICH WILL BEST
SERVE THE INTERESTS OF YOUR PEOPLE, HOWEVER, THIS COULD CHANGE
WITH TIME.
SIRIK MATAK: FOR NOW, I CAN ASSURE THE PRESIDENT THAT WE WISH TO
SEEK NEUTRALITY BUT WE ALSO WANT TO STRENGTHEN THIS NEUTRALITY.
BUT IF THE DAY SHOULD COME WHEN THE SITUATION IN CAMBODIA REACHES
A STATE OF EMERGENCY, WE WILL CONSULT AGAIN WITH THE UNITED
STATES ON THIS QUESTION.
GENERAL HAIG: THIS MORNING, GENERAL LON NOL EXPRESSED SOME CONCERN
ABOUT YOUR RELATIONS WITH THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE.
SIRIK MATAK: WHEN THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE FIRST CAME TO RID US OF OUR
COMMON ENEMY, WE GREETED THEM WITH OPEN ARMS, BUT THEN THERE WERE
A FEW SAIGON PERSONALITIES WHO UTTERED SOME TROUBLESOME REMARKS.
DESPITE THIS UNFORTUNAT EXPERIENCE, WE HAVE AGREED TO FORGET THE
PAST. THIS IS NOT ALWAYS TRUE, HOWEVER, FOR SOME INDIVIDUAL
CITIZENS. THUS THE POTENTIAL FOR TROUBLE EXISTS.
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PERMIT ME TO SPEAK MORE ON THIS PROBLEM. WHEN THE VC/NVA
FIRST MOVED OUT OF THE SANCTUARIES THEY WOULD ENTER A VILLAGE AND
ATTEMPT TO CONSCRIPT ALL THE VIETNAMESE MALES. THOSE WHO REFUSED
TO SERVE WERE KILLED. FOR THIS REASON, WE HAVE HAD TO ISOLATE THE
VIETNAMESE. MANY WANT ALSO TO RETURN TO SOUTH VIETNEM. THE
SAIGON GOVERNMENT HAS A DELEGATION IN PHNOM PENH AND WE ARE
WORKING ON SOLVING THIS PROBLEM IN CONSONANCE. IT IS EVIDENT
THAT THEREARE MANY VC AMONG THOSE WHO ARE TO BE RETURNED. THE
WHOLE PROBLEM HAS RAISED CERTAIN EMOTIONS. DESPITE THE FACT THAT
THE UNTIMELY DECLARATIONS FROM SAIGON HAVE BEEN ISOLATED,
IN THE MINDS OF MANY CAMBODIANS A VIETNAMESE
REMAINS A VIETNAMESE AND OLD EMNITIES REMAIN. HERE IN PHNOM
PENH WE GROUP THE VIETNAMESE INHABITANTS FOR THEIR OWN PROTECTION
BUT THE VC/NVA STILL INFILTRATE INTO THESE GROUPS AT NIGHT.
THUS THE PROBLEM IS REAL. FOR THIS REASON WE WONDERED IF IT
W,JOULD NOT BE POSSIBLE TO CREATE MIXED UNITS OF US AND
CAMBODIANS FIGHTING SIDE BY SIDE. OR POSSIBLY OBTAIN MORE KHMERS
FROM SOUTH VIETNAM RATHER THAN RELY COMPLETELY ON SOUTH
VIETNAMESE TROOPS AS OUR LIBERATORS.
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GENERAL HAIG: THE US WILL LEAVE CAMBODIA BY THE 30TH OF JUNE.
THE PRESIDENT HAS PROMISED OUR PEOPLE THAT THIS WILL BE DONE AND
FAILURE TO MEET THIS COMMITMENT COULD JEOPARDIZE OUR ABILITY TO
UNDERTAKE OTHER EQUALLY IMPORTANT MEASURES IN SUPPORT OF YOUR
GOVERNMENT. THIS MORNING I TALKED TO GENERAL LON NOL ABOUT THE
FUTURE OPERATIONS OF THE SOUTH VIETNAMSE ARMY IN CAMBODIA. I
LISTED TWO DESIRABLE GUIDELINES WHICH WE WOULD HOPE GOVERN THEIR
OPERATIONS. AS A RESULT OF MY OBSERVATIONS HERE I WOULD ADD A
THIRD. THE DESIRABLE GUIDELINES ARE:
1. CONTINUE AFTER JUNE 30 SHALLOW PENETRATIONS IN ORDER TO
PREVENT ENEMY FROM RECONSTRUCTING HIS BASE AREAS ALONG THE
FRONT IERS.
2. FUTURE SOUTH VIETNAMESE ATTACKS ON THE VC/NVA IN CAMBODIA
SHOULD NOT BE SO DEEP AS TO SERVE AS A PRETEXT WHICH THE ENEMY
COULD USE INTERNATIONALLY AS JUSTIFICATION FOR EVEN MORE SERIOUS
ATTACKS AGAINST CAMBODIA. IN OTHER WORDS, WE WOULD HOPE THAT
THE GVN' S POSTURE IN CAMBODIA WOULD DETER ENEMY ATTACKS AGAINST
YOUR PEOPLE; NOT SERVE TO ENCOURAGE THEM.
3. FINALLY, I WOULD SUGGEST THIS NEW GUIDELINE AS A RESULT OF
MY TALKS HERE. FUTURE SOUTH VIETNAMESE OPERATIONS IN CAMBODIA
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SHOULD BE CONDUCTED IN A MANNER THAT WILL NOT PROVIDE THE ENEMY A
BASIS FOR CREATING A "CAUSE CELEBRE" WHICH THE ENEMY COULD EXPLOIT
AS A GRIEVANCE TO ALIENATE THE KHMER PEOPLE FROM THE CENTRAL
GOVERNMENT. THIS OF COURSE, PRESUPPOSES RESTRICTIONS ON THE DEPTH
AND EXTENT OF ARVN OPERATIONS AS WELL AS A RIGID CODE OF CONDUCT
FOR THEIR PERFORMANCE.
SIRIK MATAK: THAT IS ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. I AGREE COMPLETELY. WE
HAVE NOTICED THAT WHEN THE ENEMY ATTACKS THEY ARE BOTH MOBILE AND
WELL ARMED, I DO NOT NORMALLY BECOME INVOLVED IN MILITARY
MATTERS BUT WOULD NOT THE BEST TACTICAL APPROACH BE TO COME IN
FROM BEHIND THE ENEMY AND PUSH THEM BACK TOWARD THE VN FRONTIER,
(LAUGHTER.) I THANK THE GENERAL FOR HELPING US. WE ARE A SMALL
COUNTRY BUT WE WILL FIGHT. IT'S THE VC/NVA WHO ARE THE
AGGRESSORS AND CERTAINLY NOT THE UNITED STATES. I DON'T KNOW
WHETHER OR NOT YOU KNOW TH LATEST INTENTIONS OF THE ENEMY, BUT
THEY SEEM TO BE MOVING A SIZABLE FORCE TOWARD PHUM KOMPONG THOM
AND IF THEY TAKE THIS. TOWN THEY ARE ONLY A SHORT DISTANCE FROM
TONLE SAP, THE LAKE AREA WHERE THERE ARE
15,000-20,000 VIETNAMESE FISHERMEN. THEY ALSO MAY HAVE THE
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INTENTION TO SWING NORTH INTO THAILAND.
GENERAL HAIG: WOULD US AIR ATTACKS IN NORTHEASTERN CAMBODIA SERVE
TO RELIEVE SOME OF THIS PRESSURE?
SIRIK MATAK: WE WOULD WARMLY WELCOME SUCH ATTACKS. THE ENEMY'S
OLD PLAN WAS TO OCCUPY THAT PORTION OF THE COUNTRY AND INSTALL
SIHANOUK. THIS PART OF OUR COUNTRY IS SPARSELY POPULATED AND IT
TOULD BE A GREAT BENEFIT TO DISRUPT THE ENEMY'S EFFORTS TO
REESTABLISH HIS BASES AND LINES OF COMMUNICATION IN THE NORTH-
EAST.
GENERAL HAIG: WE HOPE TO CONTINUE TO PROVIDE THE KINDS OF
EQUIPMENT MOST URGENTLY NEEDED, RIFLES, GRENADES, MACHINE GUNS,
MORTARS, ETC. IN THIS PHASE WE WILL NOT GO BEYOND THIS LEVEL OF
SOPHISTICATION. IT WOULD BE DISHONEST AND SELF-DEFEATING FOR ME
TO SUGGEST OTHER ASSISTANCE IS POSS.IBLE.. ACTUALLY THESE ARE THE
KINDS OF EQUIPMENT WHICH WILL HAVE THE MOST SIGNIFICANT SHORT
TERM EFFECT.
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SIRIK MATAK: I'LL LEAVE THE DECISION OF WHAT YOU PROVIDE TO THE
GENERAL'S AND TO PRESIDENT NIXON'S DISCRETION. WE HAVE MADE OUR
REQUESTS AND DEMANDS. I'LL LEAVE IT TO YOU TO DETERMINE WHAT YOU
WILL PROVIDE IMMEDIATELY AND WHAT YOU WILL DELAY FOR LATER
CONSIDERATION.
GENERAL HAIG: WE WILL ALSO DO OUR UTMOST TO ASSIST IN MAKING
OPERABLE THE T-28 AIRCRAFT THAT YOU NOW POSSESS.
MR. RIVES: A TEAM FROM BANGKOK ARRIVES FOR THIS PURPOSE ON
'010 ND A Y.
SIRIK MATAX: MONDAY, ALSO, THE PRIME MINISTER OF THAILAND ARRIVES
FOR AN OFFICIAL VISIT. WE NOTICE THAT THE THAI GOVERNMENT IS VERY
WORRIED ABOUT THE CAMBODIAN SITUATION.
kR. RIVES: THAT'S VERY GOOD THAT HE'S COMING. IT SHOULD BE AN
EXCELLENT PRESIGE FACTOR.
SIRIK MATAK: IT WILL BE A VERY SHORT, INITIAL VISIT. MAY I ASK
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A QUESTION. ARE YOU STILL CONSIDERING A PEACEFUL SOLUTION TO
THIS CONFLICT?
GENERAL HAIG: I THINK RECENT OPERATIONS CONFIRM THAT HANOI IS
FAR WEAKER THAN MANY 'REALIZED. IN ASSESSING THEIR REACTIONS TO
OUR ATTACK ON THEIR SANCTUARIES, TWO PHENOMENA ARE SIGNIFICANT:
FIRST, THEY OFFERED NO DEFENSE IN THE SANCTUARIES THEMSELVES
DESPITE EVIDENCE THAT THEY HAD BEEN ORDERED TO DO SO. SECONDLY,
THERE HAVE BEEN FEW ENEMY COUNTER ACTIONS. ALL THIS SUGGESTS A
FUNDAMENTAL WEAKNESS IN THEIR POSTURE. THUS, IN THE LONG RUN,
I F'EL THAT HANOI MUST SERIOUSLY CONSIDER A NEGOTIATED SOLUTION.
WE FREQUENTLY ARE GUILTY OF OVERESTIMATING AS WELL AS UNDER-
ESTIMATING THE ENEMY. I AM SURE HANOI HAS ALSO NOTED WITH
CONCERN THAT THE ARVN HAS BECOME EVERY BIT A MATCH FOR THEIR MAIN
FORCES. THE MOST SIGNIFICANT FACTOR HOWEVER HAS BEEN HANOI'S
INABILITY TO GENERATE COUNTER ACTIONS BY THEIR GUERRILLAS IN
SOUTH VIETNAM ESPECIALLY IN THE SOUTHERN THREE CORPS AREAS. THIS
CERTAINLY TENDS TO CONFIRM THAT HIS PARAMILITARY AND POLITICAL BASE
HAS BEEN SEVERLY ERODED IN RECENT MONTHS. WE HAVE NOTED A SHARP
AND DISTINCT DROP OFF IN HIS ATTACKS. THE PATTERN HAS BEEN
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CONSISTANT IN ALL SOUTH SOUTH VIETNAM. FURTHERMORE, AS I
POINTED OUT EARLIER, THEIR MAIN FORCE HAS NOW BEEN SPLIT AWAY FROM
THEIR INFRASTRUCTURE AND THEIR POLITICAL CADRES. THEY ARE NOW
EMBARKED ON A BOLD AND HIGHLY RISKY ENTERPRISE IN YOUR COUNTRY
WITHOUT HAVING BEEN ABLE TO PREPARE THE BATTLEFIELD WITH
PRELIMINARY POLITICAL ACTION OR THE LOGISTICAL PREPARATIONS WHICH
HAVE ALWAYS CHARACTERIZED THEIR OPERATIONS. NORMALLY THEY PRE-
POSITION SUPPLIES AND PREPARE THE BATTLEFIELD WITH POLITICAL
ACTIONS BEFORE PROCEEDING WITH THEIR CONVENTIONAL MAIN FORCE
ATTACKS. THUS, I ANTICIPATE THESE ATTACKS IN YOUR COUNTRY WILL
BECOME PROGRESSIVELY WEAKER. THIS ALSO DRAMATIZES THE IMPORTANCE
OF MAINTAINING THE RESOLVE AND WILL TO RESST IN YOUR PEOPLE.
INDEED, FOR THE FIRST TIME HANOI COULD ITSELF BECOME THE VICTIM
OF GUERRILLA WARFARE. THIS TIME AGAINST ITS EXTENDED MAIN FORCES
BY THE PEOPLE OF CAMBODIA WHO ARE FIGHTING FOR THEIR LIBERTY.
SIRIK MATAK: IF 'WE HAPPEN TO BEAT THEM, TO CRUSH THEM, THAT WOULD
FORCE THEM TO NEGOTIATE. WE WILL NOT NEGOTIATE WITHOUT THEIR
COMPLETE WITHDRAWAL FROM OUR COUNTRY. THE GENEVA AGREEMENT IS OUR
BASIS TO EXIST, WE MUST HAVE IT RESPECTED.
GENERAL NOL HAS ALREADY SUBMITTED OUR REQUESTS. PERMIT ME
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TO BE OPTIMISTIC THAT. PRESIDENT NIXON WILL HELP US.
I WAS VERY SORRY TO HEAR ABOUT THE US TROUBLES AFTER THE
ANNOUNCEMENT OF YOUR INTERVENTION. THE UNITED STATES CITIZENS
MUST UNDERSTAND THAT THE US IS NOT THE AGGRESSOR.
GENERAL HAIG: I THINK THAT THE GREAT MAJORITY OF AMERICANS
UNDERSTAND THIS BUT SINCE WE HAVE A DEMOCRACY THERE WILL ALWAYS
BE THE EXERCISE OF DISSENT.
SIRIK MATAK: I WAS' VERY HAPPY ABOUT NEW YORK WHERE YOUR WORKERS
RALLIED TO THE SUPPORT OF PRESIDENT NIXON.
GENERAL HAIG: THESE, ARE OUR WORKING PEOPLE WHO HAVE AN EQUITY IN
WHAT OUR COUNTRY HAS BUILT. STUDENTS HAVE LITTLE INVESTMENT IN OUR
COUNTRY AT THIS STAGE IN THEIR LIVES. IT IS ONLY NATURAL THAT
THEY ARE ABLE TO'TAKE A MORE RADICAL VIEWPOINT.
SIRIK MATAK: YOU ALSO HAVE A FEW SENATORS.
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GENERAL HAIG: PERHAPS THEY ARE MOST CONCERNED WITH FUTURE VOTES
AND LESS INCLINED TO FEEL THE RESPONSIBILITIES THAT ONLY OUR
PRESIDENT MUST SHOULDER.
SIRIK MATAK: I THINK THAT FOR MANSFIELD AND FULBRIGHT THE IMAGE
OF SIHANOUK OR RATHER T,HE IMAGE SIHANOUK PROJECTED OF THIS COUNTRY
STILL REMAINS. THIS IS A FALSE PICTURE. WE ARE NOT A PEACEFUL
OASIS IN THIS WARTORN PENINSULA. OUR SOLDIERS WERE BEING KILLED
Y THE VC EVERY DAY LONG AGO BUT IT WAS NOT PUBLICIZED. WE
MERELY CLOSED OUR EYES WHILE THE FABRIC OF OUR COUNTRY WAS BEING
DESTROYED UNDER SIHANOUK'S POLICIES.
GENERAL HAIG: I HEARD THAT WHEN YOUR CITIZENS ENTERED THE PRG
EMBASSY THAT DOCU14ENTS WERE FOUND THAT CONFIRMED THAT SIHANOUK
WAS ULTIMATELY HIMSELF A TARGET FOR ELIMINATION.
SIRIK MATAK: YES, THESE DOCUMENTS WERE FOUND IN THE NORTH
VIETNAMESE EMBASSY. ;THEY:,.PLANNED TO KEEP SIHANOUK AS LONG AS HE
WAS USEFUL TO THEM' . AND THEN TO LIQUIDATE HIM.
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GENERAL HAIG: SENATOR MANSFIELD AND SIHANOUK SHOULD KNOW ABOUT
THIS.
SIRIK MATAK: WE TRIED TO TAKE THESE DOCUMENTS TO SIHANOUK BUT
HF REFUSED TO LOOK AT THEM. HE BURNT ALL HIS BRIDGES TO EMBRACE
THE COMMUNISTS. IT'S TOO LATE FOR HIM. THERE ARE STILL SOME OLDER
PEOPLE WHO REGRET HIS DEPARTURE. BUT THEY ARE FEWER AND FEWER AS
THEY LEARN OF HIS TREACHERY.
I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE THE AMBASSADOR TO CHINA FOR TWO
YEARS AND I TRIED TO WARN SIHANOUK THAT MAO PLANNED TO COMMUNIZE
ALL OF SOUTHEAST ASIA. HE DIDN'T BELIEVE ME.
IN SPITE OF ALL OUR PROBLEMS, ALL THAT WE HAVE TALKED ABOUT,
WE ARE ALL OPTIMISTIC.
GENERAL HAIG: HANOI HAS PROBLEMS OF ITS OWN WHICH IN MOST
RESPECTS ARE FAR MORE DIFFICULT THAN OURS.
SIRIK MATAK: YOU KNOW I MET PHAM VAN DONG IN BERLIN AND WE HAD
A FRIENDLY CHAT. HE CONSTANTLY DENIED THE PRESENCE OF NVA IN
CAMBODIA. WE HAVE TRIED EVERYTHING TO GET RID OF THEM, EVEN APPROACHING
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CHOU-EN-LAI BUT WITHOUT LUCK. THE KING OF THAILAND HAS SAID YOU
CANNOT DEAL WITH THE COMMUNISTS. YOU CAN ONLY TALK TO THEM
WITH WEAPONS. WHAT ARE YOUR NEXT PLANS.
GENERAL HAIG: I RETURN TO SAIGON TO TALK TO PRESIDENT THIEU
AND GENERAL ABRAMS ON MONDAY. ON TUESDAY, I HOPE TO VISIT THE
SANTUARIES ALONG YOUR BORDER AND ON WEDNESDAY RETURN TO
WASHINGTON. I WOULD LIKE TO EXPRESS MY GRATITUDE FOR THIS
CONSTRUCTIVE MEETING. I AM SURE IT WILL BE HELPFUL TO THE
PRESIDENT TO HAVE A FIRST HAND REPORT OF THE SITUATION HERE AND
AGAIN LET ME REAFFIRM HIS CONTINUING SUPPORT FOR THE CAMBODIAN
PEOPLE.
SIRIK MATAK: PERMIT ME TO COUNT ON HIS SUPPORT. YOU ARE THE
LEADERS OF LIBERTY, I AM CONFIDENT YOU WILL HELP US9 A SMALL
COUNTRY. ONE DAY WHEN THINGS HAVE CALMED DOWN IN CAMBODIA, I
HOPE TO VISIT THE UNITED STATES AND THANK PRESIDENT NIXON IN
GENERAL HAIL: I AM SURE YOU WILL BE WELCOME. HAVE YOU MET THE
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SIRIK MATAK: I MET HIM DURING HIS VISIT IN 1953 WHEN HE WAS
VICE PRESIDENT. I HAPPENED TO BE MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
AT THE" TIME.
GENERAL HAIG: DO YOU RECALL DR. KISSINGER AS WELL?
SIRIK MATAK: YES, I ESCORTED DR. KISSINGER AROUND THE COUNTRY.
WE SPENT FIVE DAYS TOGETHER.
GENERAL HAIG: THE PRESIDENT RETAINS A SPECIAL PLACE IN HIS HEART
FOR CAMBODIA.
MEETING ADJOURNED 7:45 PM
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