The Nation -NAP leader claims Surin

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Subject: The Nation -NAP leader claims Surin helped fugitive

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The Nation - Dec 20, 1999.
NAP leader claims Surin helped fugitive

THE opposition fired its last salvo yesterday in claiming that an =
associate of alleged terrorist Osama bin Laden -- the Saudi national =
said to have supplied arms to the dissidents who stormed the Burmese =
Embassy in October -- is taking refuge in Thailand.=20

Opposition leader Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said that Cambodian fugitive =
Sok Yuen had received help from Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan.=20

Chavalit backed his claim with a tape recording of an alleged telephone =
conversation between Sok Yuen and Cambodian opposition party leader Sam =
Rainsy. Sok Yuen is wanted in Cambodia for a 1998 assassination attempt =
on Prime Minister Hun Sen.=20

Chavalit later submitted the tape and copies of the Cambodian military =
court's arrest warrant for Sok Yuen to House Speaker Wan Muhammad Noor =
Matha.=20

In reply, Surin demanded that Chavalit reveal his source and questioned =
the NAP leader's motives in raising the issue, saying that the claims =
could lead to severe repercussions in Thai-Cambodian relations as well =
as damage his own reputation as foreign minister.=20

''If this recorded conversation is indeed important and can be used as =
evidence then he should have sent it to the relevant authorities for =
verification,'' Surin told the House.=20

''But by revealing the conversation in the recording to the public, is =
like inviting the enemy into the house. Isn't this an act that can lead =
to a misunderstanding between our neighbour,'' Surin said.=20

Undeterred, Chavalit said he had acquired the tape from his connections =
in military intelligence, but stopped short of identifying his source =
other than saying he had relied on ''the old school network''.=20

Continuing his attack on Surin, he said: ''There is a political group in =
Cambodia that Surin is aware of. He may not necessarily be associated =
with it but the group is mobilising foreign funds to finance its =
activities in Cambodia.=20

''That's why the group is associated with international terrorism and =
Osama bin Laden,'' Chavalit said, with apparent reference to Cambodia's =
opposition party, the Sam Rainsy Party led by maverick Sam Rainsy.=20

''It is believed that this group helped provide arms for those Burmese =
dissidents who seized the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok in October.''=20

Chavalit also charged that the same group (Sam Rainsy Party) could =
assist in the investigation of the Thai Oil refinery explosion earlier =
this month.=20

With this new development, Surin had to delay his departure for Macau =
for the enclave's handover ceremony to China until yesterday afternoon. =
With time racing against him, he had his secretary Nopadol Patama listen =
to the tape.=20

Nopadol later said he listened to the recorded conversation in the House =
speaker's chambers under tight security to prevent it from leaking out =
and harming relations with Cambodia.=20

He said that the conversation in the recording was in Khmer. He assumed =
that the telephone conversation took place between Sok Yuen and Sam =
Rainsy.=20

Nopadol said there was background sound distraction in the recording and =
he could not determine if the call took place in Cambodia or Thailand.=20

In the conversation, it is believed that Sok Yuen had asked Sam Rainsy, =
whom Sok Yuen called ''chairman'', to ask Surin to help him obtain =
political asylum in Thailand.=20

A highly placed source said that in the taped conversation, Sam Rainsy =
told Sok Yuen to apply in person for refugee status with the United =
Nations High Commissioner for Refugees office in Bangkok, and that he =
would ask Surin to hasten the application.=20

The source said Hun Sen also believed that Sok Yuen was in Thailand but =
did not seek his extradition because he doubted the likelihood of Thai =
authorities finding him.=20

Members of the Thai government and opposition parties have often visited =
Sam Rainsy, the most vociferous of Hun Sen's critics, whenever they =
travel to Cambodia. The opposition figure narrowly escaped a bomb attack =
in 1997 and had been accused by Hun Sen of plotting to assassinate him.=20

Following up on the explosive development against his boss, Nopadol said =
he checked the authenticity of the arrest warrant issued against Sok =
Yuen and found that it was issued by the Cambodian military court on =
Sept 7. The court wants to try Sok Yuen for an assassination attempt on =
Hun Sen on Sept 24 last year. Nopadol, however, said he could not =
establish Sok Yuen's links with Sam Rainsy or where he hid after the =
assassination attempt.=20

Nopadol also denied that the Foreign Ministry and related authorities =
were aware of the arrest warrant for Sok Yuen.=20

Nevertheless, he said the Foreign Ministry would double-check the =
authenticity of the recording and other documents.=20

''The most important thing is that Chavalit must tell who gave the tape =
recording,'' he said, adding that the recorded conversation made no =
references to bin Laden. Believed to be based in Afghanistan, bin Laden =
is wanted in the United States for allegedly masterminding the bombings =
of two US embassies in East Africa.=20

Chavalit's supposed ace in his sleeve against the government and kept =
under wraps until now, coincides with Hun Sen's unofficial visit to =
Thailand. The premier touted as the Cambodian strongman is here at the =
request of Supreme Commander Gen Mongkol Amportphisit. The Foreign =
Ministry was not informed of his visit.=20

Chavalit, as the NAP leader, had spearheaded the opposition's attack in =
the censure debate, and had targeted Thai foreign policy for criticism. =
But foreign policies have, in the past two years, favoured the country, =
scoring points rather then damaging the institution, the government =
replied. The government also claimed credit for succeeding in its bid to =
have Deputy Prime Minister Supachai Panitchpakdi take over as chief of =
the World Trade Organisation in 2002.=20

During the same session, Chavilit threw another bombshell in claiming =
that Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra had held a secret =
meeting with two foreigners in Wang Thakrai, a province in Nakorn Nayok, =
just before the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok was seized.=20

''That was why he was chosen to substitute as hostage in replacement for =
the others in the embassy ... he was there to guarantee the freedom of =
the dissidents,'' Chavalit said.=20

During the Oct 1-2 siege, Sukhumbhand had volunteered to accompany the =
dissidents to the border in return for the freedom of some 30 hostages =
taken by the armed Burmese dissidents group.=20

Sukhumbhand denied the allegation as baseless.=20

The Nation


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<DIV><FONT face=3DArial size=3D2>
<H2><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D2>The Nation - Dec 20, =
1999.</FONT></H2>
<H2><FONT color=3D#000000 size=3D4>NAP leader claims Surin helped=20
fugitive</FONT></H2><FONT face=3Darial,Times><FONT size=3D+.5>
<P>
<P>THE opposition fired its last salvo yesterday in claiming that an =
associate=20
of alleged terrorist Osama bin Laden -- the Saudi national said to have =
supplied=20
arms to the dissidents who stormed the Burmese Embassy in October -- is =
taking=20
refuge in Thailand.=20
<P>Opposition leader Gen Chavalit Yongchaiyudh said that Cambodian =
fugitive Sok=20
Yuen had received help from Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan.=20
<P>Chavalit backed his claim with a tape recording of an alleged =
telephone=20
conversation between Sok Yuen and Cambodian opposition party leader Sam =
Rainsy.=20
Sok Yuen is wanted in Cambodia for a 1998 assassination attempt on Prime =

Minister Hun Sen.=20
<P>Chavalit later submitted the tape and copies of the Cambodian =
military=20
court's arrest warrant for Sok Yuen to House Speaker Wan Muhammad Noor =
Matha.=20
<P>In reply, Surin demanded that Chavalit reveal his source and =
questioned the=20
NAP leader's motives in raising the issue, saying that the claims could =
lead to=20
severe repercussions in Thai-Cambodian relations as well as damage his =
own=20
reputation as foreign minister.=20
<P>''If this recorded conversation is indeed important and can be used =
as=20
evidence then he should have sent it to the relevant authorities for=20
verification,'' Surin told the House.=20
<P>''But by revealing the conversation in the recording to the public, =
is like=20
inviting the enemy into the house. Isn't this an act that can lead to a=20
misunderstanding between our neighbour,'' Surin said.=20
<P>Undeterred, Chavalit said he had acquired the tape from his =
connections in=20
military intelligence, but stopped short of identifying his source other =
than=20
saying he had relied on ''the old school network''.=20
<P>Continuing his attack on Surin, he said: ''There is a political group =
in=20
Cambodia that Surin is aware of. He may not necessarily be associated =
with it=20
but the group is mobilising foreign funds to finance its activities in =
Cambodia.=20

<P>''That's why the group is associated with international terrorism and =
Osama=20
bin Laden,'' Chavalit said, with apparent reference to Cambodia's =
opposition=20
party, the Sam Rainsy Party led by maverick Sam Rainsy.=20
<P>''It is believed that this group helped provide arms for those =
Burmese=20
dissidents who seized the Burmese Embassy in Bangkok in October.''=20
<P>Chavalit also charged that the same group (Sam Rainsy Party) could =
assist in=20
the investigation of the Thai Oil refinery explosion earlier this month. =

<P>With this new development, Surin had to delay his departure for Macau =
for the=20
enclave's handover ceremony to China until yesterday afternoon. With =
time racing=20
against him, he had his secretary Nopadol Patama listen to the tape.=20
<P>Nopadol later said he listened to the recorded conversation in the =
House=20
speaker's chambers under tight security to prevent it from leaking out =
and=20
harming relations with Cambodia.=20
<P>He said that the conversation in the recording was in Khmer. He =
assumed that=20
the telephone conversation took place between Sok Yuen and Sam Rainsy.=20
<P>Nopadol said there was background sound distraction in the recording =
and he=20
could not determine if the call took place in Cambodia or Thailand.=20
<P>In the conversation, it is believed that Sok Yuen had asked Sam =
Rainsy, whom=20
Sok Yuen called ''chairman'', to ask Surin to help him obtain political =
asylum=20
in Thailand.=20
<P>A highly placed source said that in the taped conversation, Sam =
Rainsy told=20
Sok Yuen to apply in person for refugee status with the United Nations =
High=20
Commissioner for Refugees office in Bangkok, and that he would ask Surin =
to=20
hasten the application.=20
<P>The source said Hun Sen also believed that Sok Yuen was in Thailand =
but did=20
not seek his extradition because he doubted the likelihood of Thai =
authorities=20
finding him.=20
<P>Members of the Thai government and opposition parties have often =
visited Sam=20
Rainsy, the most vociferous of Hun Sen's critics, whenever they travel =
to=20
Cambodia. The opposition figure narrowly escaped a bomb attack in 1997 =
and had=20
been accused by Hun Sen of plotting to assassinate him.=20
<P>Following up on the explosive development against his boss, Nopadol =
said he=20
checked the authenticity of the arrest warrant issued against Sok Yuen =
and found=20
that it was issued by the Cambodian military court on Sept 7. The court =
wants to=20
try Sok Yuen for an assassination attempt on Hun Sen on Sept 24 last =
year.=20
Nopadol, however, said he could not establish Sok Yuen's links with Sam =
Rainsy=20
or where he hid after the assassination attempt.=20
<P>Nopadol also denied that the Foreign Ministry and related authorities =
were=20
aware of the arrest warrant for Sok Yuen.=20
<P>Nevertheless, he said the Foreign Ministry would double-check the=20
authenticity of the recording and other documents.=20
<P>''The most important thing is that Chavalit must tell who gave the =
tape=20
recording,'' he said, adding that the recorded conversation made no =
references=20
to bin Laden. Believed to be based in Afghanistan, bin Laden is wanted =
in the=20
United States for allegedly masterminding the bombings of two US =
embassies in=20
East Africa.=20
<P>Chavalit's supposed ace in his sleeve against the government and kept =
under=20
wraps until now, coincides with Hun Sen's unofficial visit to Thailand. =
The=20
premier touted as the Cambodian strongman is here at the request of =
Supreme=20
Commander Gen Mongkol Amportphisit. The Foreign Ministry was not =
informed of his=20
visit.=20
<P>Chavalit, as the NAP leader, had spearheaded the opposition's attack =
in the=20
censure debate, and had targeted Thai foreign policy for criticism. But =
foreign=20
policies have, in the past two years, favoured the country, scoring =
points=20
rather then damaging the institution, the government replied. The =
government=20
also claimed credit for succeeding in its bid to have Deputy Prime =
Minister=20
Supachai Panitchpakdi take over as chief of the World Trade Organisation =
in=20
2002.=20
<P>During the same session, Chavilit threw another bombshell in claiming =
that=20
Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra had held a secret meeting =
with two=20
foreigners in Wang Thakrai, a province in Nakorn Nayok, just before the =
Burmese=20
Embassy in Bangkok was seized.=20
<P>''That was why he was chosen to substitute as hostage in replacement =
for the=20
others in the embassy ... he was there to guarantee the freedom of the=20
dissidents,'' Chavalit said.=20
<P>During the Oct 1-2 siege, Sukhumbhand had volunteered to accompany =
the=20
dissidents to the border in return for the freedom of some 30 hostages =
taken by=20
the armed Burmese dissidents group.=20
<P>Sukhumbhand denied the allegation as baseless.=20
<P>The Nation</P></FONT></FONT></FONT></DIV></BODY></HTML>

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