751H.00/5–2551: Telegram
The Minister at Saigon (Heath) to the Secretary of State
2071. King of Cambodia1 May 23 recd Hoey, Gullion, Catlett,2 Brink and Dickens. He appeared to be enjoying his prolonged vacation [Page 422] and immunity from official cares while the council of regency headed by his father carries on for him. His plans for a trip to France were foremost in his mind (Legtel 2072 rptd Paris 848).3 He also made the fol observations:
1. The mil situation in Cambodia has notably improved in the past year. The Issaraks are no threat and the VM are recognized as pirates by the people. The increased dynamism of public spirit can be gauged by the ease with which the Khmer Army is being expanded from one battalion last year to 6 battalions envisaged for end of this year.
Whereas they had previously been badly clothed, badly equipped and had poor morale, they now possessed morale, clothing and equipment of high order and he thanked Gen Brink for the part US aid had played in this amelioration.
2. It was true that there were operations in Battambang where the rebels who had pledged their names to an agreement to rally their forces to him had gone back on their word and arrested officer he had sent as envoy (since escaped). However he believed trouble in Battambang cld be stamped out easily.
3. The problem of cadres was, of course, most important. Unfortunately Cambodia needed cadres not only in the army but in public admin, public health, communication and other fields. The improved prospects for Cambodia meant that young men were coming forward more readily; whereas the first class in the first officers school had number 7, they now plan to have 2 classes of 30 prospective officers each in school at any given time.
4. As to politics, the King did not claim a degree of comparable improvement. He said, however, that elections shld be held looking forward to constitution of a new assembly. The Fr and some other advisors had reserves about this since they believed insecurity in some parts of the country wld make elections difficult or distort their meaning and since elections wld invariably bring into the assembly some members with rebel affiliations or tendencies.
Altho these objections were valid to some extent, still the people of Cambodia were clamoring for an assembly and the maintenance of the constitution and the King was pledged to maintain that constitution. The assembly wld therefore be constituted. Although not all of the regions of the country cld now return delegates he estimated majority of something over 45 members cld be present. He was not considering any such move as contemplated in Vietnam of designating members to the assembly rather than electing them. There was no provision for this in the constitution.
The King pointed out that in planning for the army he had always to reckon with needs for econ and social programs. He cld not recall [Page 423] offhand the exact amount of his budgetary receipts which for the coming year wld be devoted to the army but thought it was around 25 percent.
Sent Dept 2071 rptd info Paris 848 Phnom Penh unn.