193. Telegram From the Department of State to the Embassy in Thailand1
332662. Subject: Ambassador Prok Briefed on Meeting With Son Sann. Ref: Geneva 15460.2
1. (S)–Entire text.
2. Thai Ambassador Prok called on EA/T Director Cleveland December 15 to ask if Department had heard anything back on DAS Negroponte’s consultations in Paris. Cleveland gave highlights of Son Sann/Negroponte discussions without going beyond summary points in reftel. He emphasized that U.S. held out no hope for material resources to any Khmer resistance effort. Prok was particularly interested in why U.S. was holding discussions with Son Sann at this level at this time. Cleveland said it was part of our overall interest in considering all alternatives to a political solution in Kampuchea, and given the unacceptability to US of both the Heng Samrin and DK regimes, we wished to encourage third force options, especially Son Sann and Sihanouk. He advised Prok not to give too much significance to timing of this meeting, pointing out that we had previous albeit lower level contact with Son Sann’s people. Prok and Cleveland both agreed the recent visits of Prem and Lee3 to Beijing had generated renewed interest in alternative political solutions to Kampuchea, with, however, little hope of achieving them.
- Source: Carter Library, National Security Affairs, Brzezinski Material, Country File, Box 74, Thailand, 7/80-1/81. Secret; Priority; Nodis. Sent for information Priority to the Mission in Geneva for Negroponte only and the White House. Printed from the copy that was received in the White House Situation Room.↩
- Telegram 15460 from Geneva, December 13, summarized meeting with Son Sann. (National Archives, RG 59, Central Foreign Policy File, P870149–0608)↩
- General Prem Tinsulanon and Lee Kuan Yew.↩