01005741 Case File No. 002/19-09-2007/ECCC/TC E313 at Central Committee meetings starting in June 1974 and a plan was put in motion to liberate and then evacuate Phnom Penh.384 135. There were conflicting accounts as to whether KHIEU Samphan attended the meeting at which the decision to evacuate Phnom Penh was made. KHIEU Samphan asserts that he did not participate and that he was not in Cambodia at the time of the meeting.385 NUON Chea supports this rendition of events, stating that KHIEU Samphan was not present at the meeting and therefore he did not know of the decisions taken.386 According to PHY Phuon, however, KHIEU Samphan was at the June 1974 meeting in Meak and agreed with the plan to evacuate the city.387 136. Although KHIEU Samphan, along with IENG Sary, visited multiple countries from March to May 1974 in a tour of Africa, Europe, and Asia in his capacity as FUNK Deputy Prime Minister,388 he returned to Cambodia in June 1974 when the meeting occurred.389 Several news articles report on KHIEU Samphan’s visits to foreign countries in April and May 1974, including China and Vietnam. Two articles, one quoting KHIEU Samphan’s speech, indicate his presence in Laos in June 1974. 390 384 Interview with Comrade POL Pot (News from Kampuchea), E3/1583, 1 May 1978, ERN (En) 00011316-00011317; French Embassy Telegram, Subject: POL Pot Press Conference, E3/1762, 6 October 1977, ERN (En) 00751831-32; POL Pot’s Press Conference in Peking (in SWB Collection), E3/2728, 4 October 1977, ERN (En) 00390927; Cambodian Offers Evacuation Motive (New York Times), E3/2316, 5 October 1977; The Chamber notes the term “liberate” was used by the Khmer Rouge themselves to describe overcoming Khmer Republic forces, capturing areas held by them, and bringing people under their own control. The proper characterisation of these events is addressed in the judgement but the Chamber does not endorse the meaning indicated by Khmer Rouge usage of this term. 385 T. 31 October 2013 (KHIEU Samphan), p. 69; [KHIEU Samphan’s] Conclusions finales, E295/6/4, 26 September 2013, para. 32. 386 T. 14 December 2011 (NUON Chea), pp. 2-4. 387 T. 26 July 2012 (ROCHOEM Ton alias PHY Phuon), pp. 16, 44. 388 US State Department Telegram, Subject: KHIEU Samphan Visit to the PRC, E3/2939, 27 May 1974, para. 1, ERN (En) 00377050 (issued at the conclusion of KHIEU Samphan’s visit to the PRC on 27 May); U.S. State Department Telegram, Subject: KHIEU Samphan’s Visit, E3/3315, May 1974, para. 4, ERN (En) 00412755 (KHIEU Samphan to leave Romania for Algiers on 2 May); KHIEU Samphan Greets DPRK Armed Forces Minister (in FBIS Collection), E3/488, 12 February 1975, ERN (En) 00166753 (KHIEU Samphan recalling official visit to DPRK in April 1974); Report by L. TRIVIÈRE: China and Cambodia, E3/482, November 1975, p. 23, ERN (En) 00524007; SUONG Sikoeun Book manuscript, E3/40, ERN (Fr) 0078987. 389 T. 10 June 2013 (SOE Socheat), p. 69-70; T. 2 August 2012 (SUONG Sikoeun), pp. 89-91 (KHIEU Samphan and IENG Sary were in Vietnam starting in May 1974 for at least one week before returning to Cambodia). 390 Summary of World Broadcasts, E3/1379, 5-7 October 1977, ERN (En) 00419557 (summary report of an editorial notes of a June 1974 visit of KHIEU Samphan to Lao liberated area); KHIEU Samphan Greets LPLA on 26th Anniversary (in FBIS Collection), E3/30, 20 January 1975, ERN (En) 00166713 (referring to goodwill visit to the Lao liberated zone in June 1974). Case 002/01, Judgement, 7 August 2014 - Public 74