Cambodia in 1989: Still Talking but no Settlement

On September 27, 1989, Hanoi announced it had withdrawn its remaining 26,300 troops from Cambodia, the withdrawal ceremony attended by a small group of observers from the socialist bloc, some Thai members of parliament, and journalists. It occurred in the manner of the other milestones in this peace process-JIM I and II and the International Conference in Paris-with high expectations and no denouement to the conflict. Looking at all fronts-internal, external, military, and diplomatic-it is tragically apparent at year's end that peace remains elusive in Cambodia. As evidence-including the long-drawn-out debate in the Vietnamese Communist Party (VCP) Politburo-began to point to consensus on the wisdom of Vietnam's withdrawal from Cambodia, a sense of urgency was added to the Indochina scene. The initial quarter of 1989 again saw a flurry of renewed possibilities as governments and individuals scrambled to secure a ride on what appeared at times to be a fast train to resolution of the war. Of great significance were the stepped up dialogues and cooperation between the People's Republic of Kampuchea (now renamed the State of Cambodia [SOC]) and Thailand, highlighted by the much publicized visit of Premier Hun Sen to Bangkok on January 25 that was followed by a series of economic concessions. Though largely symbolic, Hun Sen's visit, followed by others in subsequent months, generated much speculation over its implications, not only for Thai foreign policy but also for internal politics within the SOC. Though the impetus appeared to have been more of a domestic power play inside Thailand, the expressed independence of Thai Prime Minister Chatichai's policy line toward Indochina caused some consternation, especially among his ASEAN partners.