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Sihanouk Is W THE NEW YORK TIMES, THURSDAY, APRIL 24, 1975 Sihanouk Is W ling to Pass Up Cambodian Rule NYTimes AP-K-2-4 19 Dispatch of The Times, London in Cambodia because the leader on the Communist death Khmer Rouge victorCIN,consti- list has fled to Thailand, leav- PEKING, April 23—Prince tuted "the only valid popular ing only two of the seven Norodom Sihanouk has said unaccounted for. that he will not be upset if the verdict." victorious Khmer Rouge did It -was the leaders of the Thai officials said that for- Khmer Rouge themselves who mer Premier In Tam fled across not abide by their offer to let asked me to remain as chief him return to Cambodia as' the border Saturday with three of state of Cambodia until my other persons as they were chief of state. death," Prince Sihanouk said. being fired on by Communist In a statement circulated "If one day these leaders here, the Prince said that he soldiers. The officials said that change their minds about me I the four men were in police did not want to return to shalj not be upset in the least custody in Prachin Burl Prov- Phnom Penh, which had "bad since the only goal of my life memories" for him and would ince, near the border. has been already achieved: the Mr. In Tam headed the gov- instead ask the Khmer Rouge total and irreversible liberation to restore the airport near the ernment in Phnom Penh in of Cambodia and the restoration 1973 while. President Lop Nol ancient capital of Angkor. of its independence and its There, he said, he would bring was in the. United States for the ashes of his mother. She is nonalignment." medical treatment. After the ill in Peking and the Prince Communists captured Phnom said she would die shortly. In Tam in Thailand Penh, he Vowed to lead a guer- Prince Sihanouk said that BANGKOK, Thailand, April rilla movement in northwest elections would be unnecessary 23_4AP)—Another Cambodian Cambodia. .
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