01005798 Case File No. 002/19-09-2007/ECCC/TC E313 Foreign Affairs), VORN Vet (named Deputy Prime Minister for Economics and Finance) and SON Sen (named Deputy Prime Minister for National Defence).738 236. In April 1976, NORODOM Sihanouk announced his retirement as head of state.739 A few days later, all members of GRUNK resigned to make way for the new government.740 From 11 to 13 April 1976, the PRA met for its inaugural session, at which it ostensibly selected and appointed the members of the PRA Standing Committee, State Presidium and government.741 In reality, the PRA simply rubberstamped the choices that had already been made by the CPK.742 237. The government, too, was little more than an instrument of the CPK.743 It was, as Expert David CHANDLER described it, a “government by and for [the] ruling party”; there were no balancing elements to CPK rule.744 Government ministers and ministerial staff reported to and took directions from the CPK Standing Committee.745 Minutes of a CPK Central Committee meeting reflect the Central Committee’s view that the government “must be totally an organization of the Party”. 746 Government ministers met with POL Pot – who by then served as both Prime Minister and CPK Secretary – at gatherings of the Council of Ministers.747 At the first such meeting, 738 Central Committee Decision, E3/12, 30 March 1976, p. 6, ERN (En) 00182814; T. 19 July 2012 (David CHANDLER), pp. 116-117. 739 DK Government Statement, E3/1371, 1 April 1976; T. 6 December 2012 (HUN Chhunly), pp. 5859. 740 DK People’s Representative Assembly Meeting Minutes, E3/165, 11-13 April 1976, ERN (En) 00184067-00184068. 741 DK People’s Representative Assembly Meeting Minutes, E3/165, 11-13 April 1976; DK Press Release: First Plenary Session of the First Legislature of the People’s Representative Assembly of Kampuchea, E3/262, 14 April 1976; T. 18 July 2012 (David CHANDLER), p. 34. The PRA Standing Committee purportedly convened for a special session on 25 December 1977, but the evidence before the Chamber did not confirm whether this meeting ever actually took place: DK Government Communiqué, E3/1393, 31 December 1977, p. 7, ERN (En) 00713107. 742 T. 19 July 2012 (David CHANDLER), p. 119; MAT Ly Interview by Stephen HEDER, E3/390, undated, pp. 28-29, ERN (En) 00436873-00436874. 743 See e.g. T. 6 May 2013 (Philip SHORT), pp. 68-69 (describing the government as “a transmission belt with no authority”). 744 T. 18 July 2012 (David CHANDLER), p. 33. 745 See e.g. Standing Committee Minutes, E3/223, 17 May 1976, pp. 1-3, ERN (En) 0018270800182710; Standing Committee Minutes, E3/225, 1 June 1976, pp. 1-4, 8, ERN (En) 0018271500182718, 00182722; Standing Committee Minutes, E3/226, 10 June 1976. 746 Central Committee Decision, E3/12, 30 March 1976, p. 6, ERN (En) 00182814. 747 Presentation by the Party Secretary, E3/818, 22 April 1976; Council of Ministers Meeting Minutes, E3/794, 31 May 1976; IENG Thirith Interview by Elizabeth BECKER, E3/659, October-November 1980, p. 30, ERN (En) 00182327. Case 002/01, Judgement, 7 August 2014 - Public 131