p Za rubezhom, No. 13, 1979

p It was with a sense of profound satisfaction that the progressive world public received the news of the heroic Kampuchean people’s victory over the bloody regime of Peking’s henchmen Pol Pot and Ieng Sary. This triumph has opened up favourable prospects for strengthening peace and security and for consolidating all anti-imperialist forces in South-East Asia on the principles of peaceful coexistence, good-neighbourliness and co-operation. The positive changes that have taken place in the region have not, however, been to the liking of some, particularly reactionary forces in the West and the Peking leaders. In a talk with Kaarle Nordenstreng, President of the International Organisation of Journalists, who visited Kampuchea on the invitation of the revolutionary government. Heng Samrin, Chairman of the Kampuchean People’s Revolutionary Council and Chairman of the Central Committee of the Kampuchea United Front for National Salvation, discusses the present situation in the country and the changes that have taken place since the victory of the revolution. Also participating in this discussion were Hun Sen, a council member and minister of foreign affairs and Keo Chanda, a council member and minister of information, press and culture.

p Heng Samrin. How do you feel after your long trip?

p K. Nordenstreng. Marvellous. We are happy to be in liberated Kampuchea. Thank you for your kind invitation to visit your country. Allow me to extend to you fraternal greetings and best wishes from journalists and from the progressive world public.

Heng Samrin. We are sincerely grateful to you for visiting us, especially since your visit is taking place during the first days after the complete liberation of our country. As you have already noticed, we are presently encountering great difficulties caused by the Pol Pot-Ieng Sary clique, which brought our people untold suffering. Our army and people have resolutely cast out their odious regime. This is a great victory for the Kampuchean people, a victory won with the support of the socialist countries and all progressive forces throughout the world. This victory will make it possible to turn Kampuchea into a prosperous country. During the reconstruction process, our people will have to overcome tremendous difficulties, since they must start from scratch. Before being liberated, Pnom Penh was an absolute ghost town; now we shall have to bring it back to life. Although the Pol Pot-Ieng Sary regime suffered a crushing defeat and its army was destroyed by our forces, some of its detachments are still attempting to terrorise our people and struggle against the Kampuchean revolution. These are the death throes of the bloody clique. For the time being, we are still unable to ensure our country’s full security: Pol Pot’s scions will still continue to function for a time, offering resistance to our army, but we are firmly determined to eleminate these bands; we shall not allow them to terrorise the Kampuchean people.