1. — The Agreements signed in Geneva on the cessation of hostilities in Laos and Cambodia were a great victory scored by the peoples of the two countries in their fight for peace, independence, unity and democracy.
Fighting units of Pathet Lao and Vietnamese people’s volunteers units in Laos which were in control of extensive liberated areas embracing 1 million inhabitants and about half of the whole territory of Laos, at the time of the signing of the Agreements, correctly and thoroughly implemented the Agreements.
One after another, units of Pathet Lao armed forces left Southern Laos, Middle Laos and many provinces in the South West of Laos and came to the regrouping zone which comprizes the 2 provinces of Sam-Neua and Phong-saly, in accordance with the schedule set by the Geneva Agreements.
Meanwhile, units of Vietnamese volunteers were ordered to leave the provinces bordering on the Mekong River or on the frontier regions of Laos and Cambodia and return to Vietnam. In spite of difficulties of communications and supply, our armed forces, thanks to the efforts made by officers and men, thanks to the help of the local population, succeeded in withdrawing entirely from Laos territory on November 16, 1954, ahead of schedule. The withdrawal of Vietnamese volunteers from Laos not only demonstrated their high sense of discipline but also the lofty internationalism of our officers and men of the volunteer units which came to Laos and along with the Lao people, fought the aggressors on Lao soil solely for the purpose of securing independence and freedom for the Lao people.
In Cambodia, forces of Khmer Issaraks and units of Vietnamese volunteers also correctly and thoroughly implemented the Geneva Armistice Agreements. Issarack forces stopped firing in accordance with schedule and were demobilized on the spot. The International Commission itself also acknowledged that the demobilization had been accomplished in keeping with the Agreements.
Units of Vietnamese volunteers in Cambodia also withdrew from faroff provinces North West or South East of Cambodia. Their withdrawal was completed by October 17, 1954. Exactly as it was the case in Laos, the withdrawal of Vietnamese volunteers units from Cambodia bears evidence to the high sense of discipline and at the same time to the lofty internationalism of our volunteer units, which throughout these past years, notwithstanding hardships, have been fighting against the aggressors in Cambodia with the only aim of helping the people of Cambodia.
2 — The Royal Government of Laos as well as that of Cambodia have, in Geneva, “declared itself resolved to take the necessary measures to integrate all citizens, without discrimination, into the national community, in particular by participating in the next general elections”; the two governments have also declared that they “would not join in any agreement with other states, if this agreement carries for Laos (or Cambodia) the obligation to enter into a military alliance not in conformity with the principles of the charter of the United Nations or with the principles of the Agreement on the cessation of hostilities, or the obligation to establish bases on Laotian (or Cambodian) territory for the military forces of a foreign power, as long as the security of Laos (or Cambodia) is not threatened”.
The Geneva Conference’s Final Declaration has given recognition to these statements.
And yet, notwithstanding the spirit and letter of the Geneva Agreements, the American imperialists have been in the past months endeavouring to get Laos involved in the South East Asian aggressive bloc. On the occasion of Dulles’ visit to Vientiane (Lao capital) the Katay government issued a communique expressing “its satisfaction at the results of the Bangkok Conference” of the SEA military bloc and asserting that “although Laos is not a signatory, it is not without any links with the Manila treaty”. Negotiations on US aid to Laos are now being carried out between the Royal Government of Laos and the US. These acts are contrary to the Geneva Armistice Agreements.
Also in this lapse of time, under the influence of American imperialists, many military actions, contrary to the Geneva Agreements, have taken place in the two provinces of Sam-Neua and Phongsaly. Recently with the countenance of the Royal Government of Laos, K.M.T. troops have entered several provinces of Northern Laos, thus creating a new menace for our own frontiers and those of China.
Laos which is our neighbour and shares with us a long frontier from the North to the South, maintained throughout the past centuries many close relations with our country in every field. As a neighbour country and a signatory of the Armistice Agreements reached in Geneva with the Royal Government of Laos, our Government is eager to establish friendly relations with the Royal Government of Laos on the basis of implementing the Geneva Agreements and on the basis of the five great principles of peaceful coexistence laid down in the Sino-Indian and Sino-Burmese Joint Statements. Such a policy has been many a time stated by our Government in no uncertain terms.
However, we resolutely oppose every scheme of the American imperialists in Laos, we protest against the actions taken by the Katay Government in contradiction with the Armistice Agreements. We approve the declaration made on February 23, 1955 by Prince Souphanouvong, leader of the Pathet Lao forces, expressing the desire to settle fundamental political questions through frank negotiations on the basis of the principle of abidance by the Agreements and opposing every scheme of the American imperialists.
3) At the Geneva Conference, the Royal Government of Cambodia has also declared that it would unify the national forces through general elections, and that it would not join any military alliance. But in spite of these declarations, the Americans, which pay no heed to the spirit and contents of the Geneva Agreements, are endeavouring to draw Cambodia into the South East Asian aggressive bloc. American Ambassador to Cambodia, Mac Clintock, once revealed US intention of turning Cambodia into an American stronghold. The American Government is helping Cambodia in building up the port of Ream and military officials of Cambodia recently expressed the intention of signing agreements on US aid. After the Bangkok Conference, Dulles came on a visit to Phnom-Penh and put forth a plan of helping Cambodia raise its armed forces to 55,000. These steps are contrary to the Geneva Conference.
Last February, authorities of Cambodia expressed the intention to amend the constitution prior to the holding of general elections, with a view to eliminating those who took part in the resistance. Sometime later, American newspapers circulated rumours purporting that the Royal Government of Cambodia disapproved the activities of the International Commission and intended to ask for the dissolution of the Commission. We note with satisfaction that so far the Royal Government of Cambodia still intends to hold general elections in accordance with the present constitution and has again asserted its willingness to cooperate with the International Commission.
Vietnam and Cambodia are two neighbouring countries with a long record of numerous friendly contacts on every field.
Especially for the last 100 years, the peoples of the three countries have suffered from the same yoke of imperialism and have been struggling together for national independence and freedom. We are very eager to set up friendly relations with the Royal Government of Cambodia. Such relations should be established on the basis of abidance by the Geneva Agreements and in the spirit of the 5 great principles laid down in the Sino-Indian and Sino-Burmese Joint Statements. We resolutely oppose every scheme of the American imperialists aimed at turning Cambodia into a military base of theirs.
Previous: II - THE AMERICAN IMPERIALISTS, THE FRENCH COLONIALISTS OPPONENTS OF THE GENEVA AGREEMENTS AND NGO DINH DIEM CLIQUE HAVE BEEN MAKING EVERY EFFORT TO SABOTAGE THE ARMISTICE AGREEMENTS, TO SABOTAGE PEACE.
Next: IV - WE SHOULD RESOLUTELY STRUGGLE FOR THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE ARMISTICE AGREEMENTS, FOR CONSOLIDATING PEACE, ACHIEVING UNITY, COMPLETING INDEPENDENCE AND DEMOCRACY THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.