HUN SEN'S CURRENT VIEWS

C O N F I D E N T I A L PHNOM PENH 04053 E.O. 12356: DECL:OADR TAGS: PGOV EAGR PINS CB SUBJECT: HUN SEN'S CURRENT VIEWS ¶1. C - ENTIRE TEXT. ¶2. PROMINENT CAMBODIAN-AMERICAN LEADER SICHAN SIV (PROTECT) HAD A ONE-ON-ONE SESSION DECEMBER 6 WITH SECOND PRIME MINISTER HUN SEN. THE PRIME MINISTER WAS RELAXED AND DEMONSTRATED A GOOD GRASP OF DETAIL, ACCORDING TO OUR SOURCE. HIS PRINCIPAL POINTS WERE AS FOLLOWS. ¶3. RELEASE OF COUP PLOTTER SIN SEN. THE TWO PRIME MINISTERS WERE SIMPLY UNABLE TO SAY NO TO THE KING'S REQUEST. IN ANY CASE, ONLY THE KING HAS THE POWER TO PARDON OR REDUCE SENTENCES. ONE HOPES THAT SIN SEN WILL NOT BE RELEASED UNTIL THE APPEAL THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN FILED IS HEARD. ¶4. DEMOCRACY. RESPONDING TO CONCERN THAT MOVES MAY BE AFOOT TO LIMIT FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION OR OTHER BASIC FREEDOMS, THERE WAS AGREEMENT THAT DEMOCRACY MUST BE ALLOWED TO FLOURISH AND FREEDOM OF EXPRESSION MAINTAINED. ¶5. STATE OF THE CPP. RUMORS OF A SPLIT BEGAN IN 1985-86. THEY WERE NOT TRUE THEN, NOR ARE THEY TRUE NOW. IT WAS HE, HUN SEN, WHO HELPED DEVELOP OVER THE YEARS AND BRING TO THE FOREFRONT TWO PARTY LEADERS, SAR KHENG AND SAY CHHUM, THIS REGARDLESS OF THEIR MARRIAGES TO CHEA SIM'S SISTERS. ¶6. MILITARY SITUATION. IN GENERAL, IT REMAINS GOOD. PHNOM KULEN (ON THE WESTERN EDGE OF PREAH VIHEAR PROVINCE) WAS CAPTURED, SIEM REAP PROVINCE IS UNDER CONTROL, BATTAMBANG IS NOT SEEING TOO MUCH ACTIVITY, KOMPONG THOM IS QUIET, AND KAMPOT IS IN HAND. THE NUMBER OF KR DEFECTORS HAS BECOME QUITE LARGE. ¶7. RICE. THE SHORTFALL IS SERIOUS, ESPECIALLY IN THE EASTERN PROVINCES. HE IS TRYING TO PERSUADE FARMERS TO PLANT DRY SEASON RICE TO MAKE UP THE DEFICIT. ¶8. COMMENT. SIV ADMITTED THAT HE COULD NOT TELL HOW GENUINELY SUPPORTIVE HUN SEN WAS OF BASIC FREEDOMS OR HOW MUCH HE WAS IN AGREEMENT IN ORDER TO MAKE HIS GUEST FEEL GOOD. SIV REMINDED HUN SEN THAT CAMBODIANS ABROAD NEED FAR MORE NEWS THAN THE GLOOM AND DOOM CARRIED IN THE INTERNATIONAL PRESS AND REQUESTED THAT THE RCG MAKE AN EFFORT TO GET THE NEWS OUT TO THEM. HUN SEN PROMISED TO MAKE SURE THAT SIV AND OTHERS ARE INFORMED OF IMPORTANT DEVELOPMENTS. TWINING