 |
| Kingdom of Cambodia |
State in the southern part of the Indochina Peninsula. Territory - 181 thousand sq. km. Population - 4.5 million (1979 estimate), Khmers - 90%, Chinese, Vietnamese, Thai, pore, etc. The capital is Phnom Penh. The official language is Khmer. Most believers are Buddhist. Kampuchea is one of the ancient states of Indochina. In 1863, the French colonialists imposed a protectorate treaty on Kampuchea. During the Second World War, the country was occupied by Japanese troops. In 1945, after the defeat of Japan, Kampuchea was again seized by the French colonialists. The country's patriotic forces waged a selfless struggle for its freedom and independence. At the 1954 Geneva Conference on Indochina, France was forced to declare the recognition of the sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity of Kampuchea. The delegation of Kampuchea made a statement at the meeting that its country would not participate in military blocs and would not allow the establishment of foreign military bases on its territory. In 1957, a law on neutrality was passed in Kampuchea. In 1962, Kampuchea came up with a proposal to ensure the country's neutrality on the basis of international guarantees. All socialist states in 1967 declared the recognition of the neutrality, independence and territorial integrity of Kampuchea. The government of Kampuchea has repeatedly opposed attempts by the United States and its allies to involve the country in SEATO or other military-political groups. In November 1963, Kampuchea refused American "aid", and US news agencies were liquidated in the country. In March 1970, a coup d'etat took place in the country, as a result of which a group of military and right-wing leaders came to power. With their consent, in April 1970, American troops entered the territory of Kampuchea, which, together with the troops of the South Vietnamese puppet regime, began military operations against patriotic forces in the southeastern part of the country. The American aggression was resolutely rebuffed by the Cambodian people. In May 1970, the National Congress of Kampuchea was convened by patriotic forces, proclaiming the creation of the National United Front of Kampuchea, which led the struggle against the pro-American regime. Under pressure from the world progressive community, the United States was forced in June 1970 to withdraw its ground troops from the territory of Kampuchea. In 1974 g. by decision of the US Congress, the American Air Force stopped the massive bombing of the country. However, the United States continued to provide "assistance" to the Phnom Penh regime led by Lon Nol. Hundreds of American "advisers" were active in the country. The imperialist aggression in Kampuchea aroused deep indignation throughout the world and was resolutely condemned by the USSR and other socialist countries. The USSR supported the struggle of the patriotic forces of Kampuchea for the freedom, independence and neutrality of their country. In April 1975, the selfless struggle of the Cambodian people ended in victory. The Lon Nol regime was overthrown. Since December 1975, the country has been called Democratic Kampuchea (instead of the Kingdom of Cambodia). However, the pro-Beijing clique of Pol Pot - Ieng Sari that seized power in the country, betraying the interests of the patriots, established a dictatorial regime of bloody terror in the country, tried to impose the "Maoist mo-goal" of the development of society on the Cambodian people. The whole country was turned into a huge concentration camp. In less than 4 years, as a result of terror, hunger and epidemics, 3 million people died. Almost all the intelligentsia, qualified personnel were physically destroyed, the population of cities was evicted to the countryside, in a forced labor colony. The policy of the Pol Pot regime - Ieng Sari brought the country to the brink of economic disaster. The crisis gripped agriculture, industrial enterprises stopped, the monetary system and internal trade were abolished, wages were abolished, free movement of the population was prohibited, families were torn apart, the health care and education system was liquidated. The country was turned into an obedient instrument of the Peking expansionists, who generously supplied arms and ammunition to the dictatorial regime. At the instigation of Beijing, the Pol Pot-Yeng Sari regime carried out armed attacks on the border areas of socialist Vietnam, as well as Thailand. The severance of diplomatic relations with Vietnam was announced. The Phnom Penh regime responded to the calls of the Vietnamese government for a peaceful settlement of disputes between the two countries with a new escalation of hostilities. From the end of 1975 in Kampuchea, mass spontaneous actions of the population against the ruling clique began, and liberated regions began to be created by partisans in various provinces. In early December 1978, the revolutionary patriotic forces at their congress decided to create a mass socio-political organization - the United Front for National Salvation of Kampuchea, which led the struggle against the dictatorial regime. Heng Samrin was elected chairman of the Central Committee of the Front. In late December 1978 and early January 1979, the revolutionary armed forces launched a powerful offensive, as a result of which the pro-Maoist regime was overthrown. 8.1 1979 a new government was formed - the People's Revolutionary Council, headed by Heng, Samrin.11.1 1979 the country was proclaimed the People's Republic of Kampuchea (PRK). The USSR , Vietnam and other fraternal socialist countries hailed the victory of the revolutionary forces of Kampuchea. The message of the Soviet leaders said that "the Soviet Union will continue to develop and strengthen the traditional relations of friendship and cooperation between our countries, to support the Kampuchean people in building a peaceful, independent, democratic, non-aligned Kampuchea, moving towards socialism." The new leadership is taking vigorous measures to restore the economy and improve the normal life of society. Bodies of people's power have been set up in the center and in the localities. Schools and medical institutions have resumed their work, transport and communications are being restored, cultural life is reviving. During the year, the organized resistance of the remnants of the Pol Pot troops was broken, their main bases and strong points were liquidated. In October 1979, in Phnom Penh, the II Congress of the EFNSK was held, at which the provisional charter of the Front was approved, the main directions of the political and socio-economic development of the Trape were outlined. The creation of trade union, youth, and women's associations - collective members of the Front - was announced. In the field of foreign policy, the People's Revolutionary Council proclaimed a course of peace, friendship, non-alignment, good-neighborly relations with the countries of Southeast Asia. The Kampuchean leadership stated that the basis of the NRC's foreign policy is the development of friendly relations and close cooperation with the USSR , SRV, Lao PDR and other fraternal socialist countries. The official friendly visit to the USSR of the party and government delegation of Kampuchea headed by Heng Samrin (February 1980) was of great importance in strengthening friendship and the further development of Soviet-Cambodian relations , during which agreements on economic, technical, cultural and scientific cooperation were signed. , trade agreement, as well as other agreements in the field of trade and economic relations. Kampuchea is an agricultural country. It is rich in valuable species of wood (black, red, pink, etc.), there are deposits of non-ferrous metals, phosphorites, magnesites, marble, basalt, and precious stones. The main crop is rice. In 1979, about 600 thousand hectares were sown (previously up to 2.5 million hectares were sown). Other major crops are rubber plants and corn. Such important sectors of the economy as animal husbandry, river and sea fishing are being restored. The USSR and other socialist countries provide disinterested economic assistance to the Kampuchean people. The industry is dominated by small enterprises for the production of timber, agricultural implements, and processing of agricultural products. Before the coup d'état in 1970, with the help of the socialist countries, as well as France and Japan, a number of textile and paper factories, plywood, cement, car assembly, brewery, sugar refinery, tire and other factories were built. By the end of 1979, about 40 industrial and municipal enterprises resumed their work. Phnom Penh is connected by railroad. road with the Thai border 1385 km) and the port of Kampongsaom - 270 km. The road and highway network is well developed. The monetary unit is the riel. The main export items are rubber, timber, dried fish. The main trading partner of Kampuchea is the Socialist Republic of Vietnam. Imported: oil products, machinery and equipment, vehicles, cement, foodstuffs and medicines.
 Cambodia){kind=link}