The World - News from Jan. 17, 1989

Cambodian rebels have challenged Vietnam’s assertions that it is removing its forces from Cambodia and claimed that Hanoi has sent in 40,000 more soldiers disguised as local troops, according to a letter sent to U.N. Secretary General Javier Perez de Cuellar. In it, rebel representative Thiounn Prasith says Vietnam has tricked the international community into believing it is pulling its troops out after 10 years of occupation. Hanoi had said it would withdraw 50,000 of its approximately 140,000 troops from Cambodia by the end of 1988 and the rest by 1990. However, Thiounn Prasith wrote that Vietnam instead sent in 14,500 fresh troops in December and a total of 40,000 new soldiers from June to December.