01005794 Case File No. 002/19-09-2007/ECCC/TC E313 enough to stop the Standing Committee from proceeding with the abolition of currency in 1975.713 226. Expert David CHANDLER testified that, although POL Pot would have had the “last word” in decision-making as CPK Secretary, there was no evidence that he had made decisions alone during the DK period: There’s no evidence that the Standing Committee was not in most cases cohesive. I say “most cases” because some of them were taken away and executed, but certainly there's no evidence that they – was any public disagreement that he overrode with a singular decision. The atmosphere was collegial, this was a place where I think he was given this authority, but I don’t have the evidence that he ever used a one-man authority to override the collective view of all his committee.714 227. Expert Philip SHORT cast the meetings of the Standing Committee in a slightly different light: in his opinion, POL Pot solicited the opinions of other members at Standing Committee meetings and incorporated their remarks in his conclusions, but “the policy that emerged was that which he had essentially decided himself before the meeting even began”.715 228. In light of the evidence given by NUON Chea, KHIEU Samphan and IENG Sary – all of whom attended or participated in meetings of the Standing Committee – the Chamber is satisfied that key decisions of the Standing Committee were not simply made unilaterally by POL Pot, but rather were made collectively; that is to say, with the input of, and with a broad consensus from, the entire Committee. However, the Chamber is unable to conclude that unanimity was required in decision-making, and therefore leaves open the possibility that individual members may have disagreed with particular decisions from time to time. 5.2. Structure of Democratic Kampuchea 229. In April 1975, as Phnom Penh fell to the military forces of the CPK and the LON Nol regime collapsed, foreign governments began to extend formal diplomatic 713 714 715 IENG Sary Interview by Stephen HEDER, E3/89, 17 December 1996, p. 4, ERN (En) 00417602. T. 24 July 2012 (David CHANDLER), pp. 23-24. T. 6 May 2013 (Philip SHORT), p. 75. Case 002/01, Judgement, 7 August 2014 - Public 127