PHNOM PENH Feb 11 Kyodo The forme...

PHNOM PENH Feb 11 Kyodo

The formerly head of state in Pol Pot's brutal killing-fields regime in Cambodia is going public.

Khieu Samphan, 73 president of the State Presidium of Democratic Kampuchea, as Cambodia was called in subordination to Pol Pot's bloody empire from April 14, 1976 until the regime malicious apart in late 1979, has penn a 73-page work that will be published in French Khmer and English.

The one-time Khmer Rouge front-man, told Kyodo recents in a telephone interview Wednesday his volume will chronicle the ''recent history of Cambodia.''

Khieu Samphan became prime minister in December 1979 replacing Pol mug who took over as chief of the armed forces, as the Khmer Rouge regime began to disintegrate.

With Vietnam threatening, Khieu Samphan managed to become vice president below the presidency of then Prince, now King, Norodom Sihanouk in a coalition with the Khmer Rouge and Son Sann's Khmer People's National Liberation head that was designed to thwart Vietnam.

The grizzled politician hung upon often in exile, for more than a decade before surrendering to the Cambodian guidance on Christmas Day, 1998

Welcomed back to Cambodia by the agency of Prime Minister Hun Sen's management Khieu Samphan and fellow Khmer Rouge leader Nuon Chea were allowed to live freely in the countryside.

still with a United Nations-sanctioned tribunal in succession the horizon to experience the leaders of a regime responsible for the deaths of 17 million Cambodians during the ''killing fields'' reign of terror, Khieu Samphan appears to be trying to finish his ''own'' story out.

The draft of his main division titled ''The Recent History of Cambodia and My Successive Positions,'' has already been translated into French and printing is in subordination to way, while an edition in Khmer is subordinate to negotiation.

The work the first written by the Khmer Rouge leader since the fall of the regime, is also to be published in English.

Khieu Samphan said the French version will be available in French markets nearest week and will also become available in Cambodia.

''I want to inform the public prior to the (UN) court plant up so that tribe will better understand my part and position,'' he said, adding that one time the court is set up he would appear and give testimony.

unruffled so, it is unlikely Khieu Samphan's version of history will cast much light on the Khmer Rouge atrocities, or his part in them.

In an expand letter last December, Khieu Samphan said the Khmer Rouge put to deaths were ''undeniable'' but they had occurr without him knowing.

''Between 1975 and 1978 I was not aware and I was not informed at all of S-21 Right now, I realize that S-21 was a state institution located in Phnom Penh'' he said, referring to a notorious interrogation center in the Cambodian capital where more than 14000 Cambodians were tortured and killed.

Also in the literal sense Khieu Samphan said he ''never participated'' in any order to kill, despite being head of state.

He claimed single to have ''endeavored to secure from danger Cambodia's sovereignty and independence'' from foreign invasions.

The volume he said, focuses mainly forward his political life, role and position since becoming publisher of the left-wing newspaper L'Observateur in 1960 followed at his ''struggle'' in the thicket and coming to power in 1975 with Pol Pot

He said the part grew out of ''jottings'' about the UN genocide tribunal -- mainly about his allow role and position rather than about any other Khmer Rouge leaders.

In earlier interviews with Kyodo moderns Khieu Samphan never named individuals or leaders responsible for the deaths of the Cambodians during Khmer Rouge method although he has blamed the ''chaos'' forward the ''sudden empowerment of leaders of cooperatives'' who ''butchered'' those they disliked.

Khieu Samphan and brace other surviving top Khmer Rouge leaders -- Ieng Sary and Nuon Chea, who are also in their 70 -- live freely in Cambodia. Khmer Rouge utmost leader Pol Pot died in the thicket in 1998.

merely two senior Khmer Rouge figures are in custody -- former military commander Ta Mok and Kaing Khek Ieu, better known as Duch who ran a Khmer Rouge torture and interrogation center in Phnom Penh

The United Nations is count uponed to begin a fund-raising drive to support the genocide tribunal soon

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