01005743 Case File No. 002/19-09-2007/ECCC/TC E313 offered by the senior leadership in China to the CPK leadership in its battle against the Khmer Republic and its U.S. supporters.397 KHIEU Samphan and IENG Sary’s visits around the same time to the liberated zone in Laos and to Vietnam were equally important given the level of official recognition they received and the issues concerning military and political cooperation discussed with the highest authorities of these countries.398 Considering its geographic location between China and Cambodia, Vietnam had the ability to facilitate arms transfers from China to the CPK, or in the alternative, to block them.399 Therefore, the visit to Vietnam was crucial to the fate of the on-going fight in Cambodia. The Chamber considers it very likely that the June 1974 meeting was scheduled to enable KHIEU Samphan and IENG Sary to attend and report to the members of the CPK Central Committee on the highly successful meetings with senior Chinese, Vietnamese and Laotian leaders. 139. SO Socheat, KHIEU Samphan’s wife, places KHIEU Samphan’s return to Cambodia from abroad either in June or July 1974. But given the contradictions in her testimony, her motivation to assist her husband, the clear testimony of PHY Phuon and the equally clear information provided by SUONG Sikoeun, the Chamber finds that SO Socheat’s evidence is unreliable. She first testified that KHIEU Samphan was Paris Peace Agreement and the gratis provision of military equipment and supplies); CPK Media Report, E3/113 (stating that military solidarity between China and Cambodia had been strengthened and consolidated); CPK Media Report, E3/1254 (describing KHIEU Samphan’s discussions with Chinese representatives following which KHIEU Samphan affirmed the solidarity in combat between the two peoples and the two armies); Section 3: Historical Background, fn. 451. 397 US State Department Telegram, Subject: KHIEU Samphan Visit to the PRC, E3/2939, 27 May 1974, para. 1, ERN (En) 00377050 (“the Chinese accorded Samphan and his delegation honors normally reserved for a Head of State. In addition to meetings with MAO, Premier CHOU and Vice Premier TENG, CHIANG Ching’s personal invitation […] also provided the Leftists’seal of approval. Throughout the occasion, Sihanouk found himself relegated to [a] role similar to that of an extra. The visit, in fact, seemed to indicate Peking’s abandonment of the Prince as its main card in Cambodian affairs.”) 398 KHIEU Samphan Greets LPLA on 26th Anniversary (in FBIS Collection), E3/30, 20 January 1975, ERN (En) 00166713 (KHIEU Samphan referring to “militant solidarity and fraternal friendship” expressed during June 1974 visit to Lao liberated zone); FUNK Publication: Nouvelles du Cambodge No. 691, E3/1238, 2 April 1974, ERN (En) 00278740 (describing 31 March 1974 visit of FUNK/GRUNK delegation to Hanoi, represented by Mr. KHIEU Samphan, Deputy Prime Minister, Minister of National Defence of GRUNK and Commander-in-Chief of FAPLNK; Mr. IENG Sary, Special Advisor to the Deputy Presidency of the GRUNK Council; IENG Thirith; Mr. TIV 01 and Mr. SIEN An). 399 T. 13 December 2011 (NUON Chea), pp. 19-20 (between 1968 and 1975, China supplied some arms, but Vietnam was responsible for transporting them and retained one third of the shipments); T. 13 December 2011 (NUON Chea), pp. 28-29 (after the June 1974 meeting, China provided 13 truckloads of weapons to CPK forces which were transported through Vietnam. The weapons were destroyed by an American bombing raid before the CPK forces could put them to use). Case 002/01, Judgement, 7 August 2014 - Public 76