CAMBODIA: FIGHTING CONTINUES ON THAI BORDER

(21 Aug 1997) Khmer/Natsound

Cambodian Second Prime Minister Hun Sen declared on Thursday that he would "reunify" Cambodia by December after launching a major offensive on the Khmer Rouge stronghold of Anlong Veng in the country's north-west.

Fighting continues on the Thai border where royalists, loyal to ousted Cambodian Prime Minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh, are making a last stand near O'Smach.

Despite renewed shelling by Government troops - royalists remain in control of the border town.

About four kilometres from the border town of O'Smach - government forces continue their offensive against royalists who are backed by the Khmer Rouge.

But despite overnight fighting and renewed shelling of their positions - troops loyal to ousted Cambodian Prime Minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh remain in control of the border town.

Thai soldiers at the frontier reported hearing shooting all night - and say forces loyal to Cambodian strongman Hun Sen began shelling an artillery base of Ranariddh's forces on Thursday morning.

The Thai soldiers, say they heard 11 rounds in the early morning, all apparently fired by Hun Sen's troops.

The shelling was lighter than on Wednesday, when several rockets landed on Thai soil, prompting Thailand to fire back two warning shots.

But Thai officers say Hun Sen's forces have been taking many casualties.

They claim 20 Hun Sen troops, who had captured the high ground on a mountain close by O'Smach, have been surrounded by Ranariddh's forces and are without food.

Virtually all civilians now appear to have left O'Smach, 350 kilometres (210 miles) north- west of Phnom Penh.

They have taken refuge inside Thailand.

On Wednesday night Thai authorities allowed 28 vehicles which had been parked by the border to enter Thailand.

About 100 people also crossed to join the 35-thousand civilians who have fled since Monday.

In the capital Phnom Penh - Hun Sen, who ousted First Prime Minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh in a July coup d'etat, met with the Council of Ministers.

He told waiting reporters that he would seize the Khmer Rouge stronghold of Anlong Veng in the country's north-west by December.

Hun Sen vowed to reunify Cambodia - refusing to allow "Cambodia to be separated into two parts with two governments."

He also announced that his government will talk with Thailand over the repatriation of refugees.

SOUNDBITE: (Khmer)
"The Cabinet of Ministers has ordered the Vice Minister of Defence to go to Thailand to discuss with Thai authorities the return of refugees as well as to bring back any soldier who fled to Thailand. The security forces can come back without the prospect of being charged and they will be given back the positions that they held before."
SUPER-CAPTION: Hun Sen, Cambodian Second Prime Minister

Cambodia's co-defence ministers, Tea Banh and Tea Chamrath, have flown to Bangkok.

They are scheduled to meet Prime Minister Chavalit Yongchaiyudh on Friday morning.

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