UDK World News
By United Press International
Sihanouk rejects Nixon's ideas
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia Prince Norodom Sihanouk, the chief of state, did a turnabout yesterday and said he was temporarily rejecting President Nixon's moves towards reestablishing diplomatic relations between the United States and Cambodia.
Sihanouk said at a news conference there were "reservations" in the U.S. position, referring to an April 17 statement from the Nixon Administration which said the
United States recognized Cambodia's sovereignty "within its present frontiers."
The Cambodian leader, in reversing himself yesterday said the "reservations" were reported by U.S. newspapers including the New York Times and the Washington Post which quoted officials of the U.S.State Department.
"If we accepted such a declaration, the United States could draw our frontiers wherever they wished, according
to the desire of their Allies," Sihanouk said yesterday.
Was satisfied
Sihanouk had announced on April 17 he was satisfied with the American position and was proceeding with steps to restore Phnom Penh-Washington ties.
The trouble which developed in the intervening days apparently stems from the fact the "present frontiers" of Cambodia are in dispute with South Vietnam, Laos and Thailand. The "reservations" mentioned by Sihanouk may
have referred to American efforts to stay out of the thorny issue of frontier squarbles between the nations of Southeast Asia.
In Washington, State Department spokesman Robert J. McCloskey said yesterday the statement of April 17 "stands and speaks for itself."
Border problems led to the rupture in diplomatic relations between the United States and Cambodia in 1965. Sihanouk cut the ties, charging that American and South Vietnamese troops were hitting Cambodian territory in raids ostensibly aimed against communist troops in South Vietnam.
Reversal suggested
The reversal announced by Sihanouk was hinted in Washington disputehes last Saturday which said Sihanouk believed the United States was adopting a somewhat ambiguous attitude toward Cambodia's frontiers.
Sihanouk was reported to have told a provincial audience last week if U.S. spokesmen "have in fact made such ambiguous statements about Cambodian frontiers, I will categorically refuse to exchange diplomats and will consider recognition of our frontiers null and void."
Japan wants US to return Okinawa
OKINAWA - A note of desperation is creeping into Japan's increasingly insistent demands for the return of Okinawa.
Czechs put off elections
PRAGUE - New Communist party leader Gustav Husak told the nation in a May Day eve speech last night immediate Communist party congress and elections they have demanded will not be held for another year.
Student, worker and intellectuals' resolutions in recent months have demanded the 1968 reforms be consolidated by a party congress and parliamentary elections this fall.
The Soviet-led invasion last August interrupted the original plans to hold the party congress Sept. 9 last year.
Husak, in a nationally televised television address, said "I think we can call a party congress in the first half of next year, following congresses of the national Czech and Slovak parties and parliamentary and general elections."
May 1
1969 KANSAN 9
And in the U.S. State Department, over the wishes of the Pentagon, there is a growing belief the United States cannot much longer delay return of the $1.2 billion Pacific base to the Japanese-agreement before the summer of 1970 and physical turnover in 1972.
No single other issue presses the government of Premier Eisaku Sato quite so hard.
Thousands of left-wing Japanese students and labor union members gave it vivid expression when on April 28 they took to the streets in violent anti-American demonstrations marking the 17th anniversary of the Japanese peace treaty.
The Japanese observe the date as "Okinawa Day."
Less violently but with similar emotion Sato declares "it has ceased to be just a political problem. It has become a humanitarian issue ... the longer the delay in arriving at a solution to the Okinawa question, the greater will be the difficulties that face our two countries in the political field."
Sato is scheduled to visit the United States in November and is pledged to obtain at that time a firm date for the island's return.
The life of his government depends upon his success.
For the Japanese the emotional issue is the fact of some one million citizens of
Japan still living under foreign domination on Okinawa more than 20 years after the war.
There it stores nuclear weapons for emergency use in Korea, China and other Pacific areas.
For the United States the issue is more complex.
B52's take off from Okinawa for raids on Vietnam.
On Okinawa and other islands of the Ryukyu chain the United States maintains 124 bases, most of them on Okinawa.
LONDON FOR YOU
Exciting London Summer Job Program. Our 7th successful season for secretaries and typists. Also San Francisco. For information write Mrs. Kay
HANSELL ASSOCIATES
Agency & Bilingual Secretarial School
209 Post Street San Francisco, California 94108
We make square-toed moccasins, loafers, buckled shoes, brogues, and oxfords. A whole new line of square-toed shoes for a whole new line of not-so-square people.
NUNN BUSH
The unsquare squares