USIA - State Department Report, 97-07-24

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From: The United States Information Agency (USIA) Home Page at <http://www.usia.gov>

STATE DEPARTMENT REPORT, THURSDAY, JULY 24, 1997

(Cambodia, Iran, China) (270)

CAMBODIA -- Foley said the United States is "pleased with the decision" of the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) to delay Cambodia's entry into the organization. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is en route to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for an ASEAN meeting. While there, she is expected to confer July 26 with former Congressman Steve Solarz, President Clinton's special envoy on the Cambodian crisis, who will meet with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen July 25.

Foley said the United States would welcome any effort on Hun Sen's part to work with ASEAN to resolve his conflict with ousted First Prime Minister Norodom Ranariddh.

IRAN -- Foley was asked about a letter signed by more than 220 members of Congress urging the Administration to support the Iranian opposition force known as the National Council of Resistance, or Mojahedin al Khalq. He said the U.S. government refuses to have any contact with the group because it was responsible for killing Americans during the 1970s, receives support from Saddam Hussein and has little domestic following within Iran.

CHINA -- Foley confirmed that the State Department had sent a letter to the Chinese government requesting assistance in finding Charles Trie. It is still awaiting a response.

"The ball's in their court," Foley said.

Trie, a former Little Rock, Arkansas, restaurant owner, is being sought by the House Government Reform and Oversight Committee for questioning in the committee's investigation of alleged illegal campaign contributions during the 1996 election.

From the United States Information Agency (USIA) Home Page at http://www.usia.gov

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