§ Mr. Tim SmithTo ask the Secretary of State for Defence whether Her Majesty's Government has provided training for the forces of the Cambodian resistance; and if he will make a statement.
§ Mr. Archie HamiltonFrom 1983 until 1989 Her Majesty's Government provided training to the armed forces of the Cambodian non-communist resistance, that is the Khmer People's National Liberation armed forces and the Armee Nationale Sihanoukienne. The purpose was to strengthen the position of those forces in relation to the more powerful forces of the Khmer Rouge and in their struggle against the Vietnamese imposed regime in Phnom Penh. There has never been and will never be any British assistance or support, military or otherwise, for the Khmer Rouge. Since 1989 Her Majesty's Government have not been involved in any way in training, equipping or supplying the forces of any of the Cambodian parties. In accordance with normal practice no further details about this training or any information about the nature of this training will be given.