3 US Navy ships on standby to evacu

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Subject: 3 US Navy ships on standby to evacuate Americans 

The Straits Times (July 10th)
3 US Navy ships on standby to evacuate Americans 



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TOKYO -- Three US Navy ships, including an amphibious assault craft, are 
on standby for a possible evacuation of American citizens from 
strife-torn Cambodia, a US Navy spokesman said yesterday. One of the 
vessels left the US naval base in Sasebo on Japan's Kyushu Island for 
Okinawa on Tuesday and the two were to follow yesterday, he said. 

The ships will be boarded by some 2,000 Marines in Okinawa and be 
engaged in routine exercises in waters off Okinawa from July 15 to 30, 
said the spokesman for the US Navy headquarters in Yokosuka, south of 
Tokyo. 

The three vessels will be sent to Cambodia as soon as the US 
administration decides to evacuate US nationals there. 

"During the exercises, they will be on stand-by for a possible order 
from the Pentagon to assist in evacuating US nationals," he said. 

The exercises, also involving ships and personnel from the 31st Marine 
expeditionary unit and the US Pacific fleet, were arranged before the 
situation in Cambodia worsened with weekend fighting in Phnom Penh 
between troops loyal to First Prime Minister Prince Norodom Ranariddh 
and Second Prime Minister Hun Sen, he said. 

US State Department spokesman Nicholas Burns said on Tuesday there were 
no immediate plans to evacuate US citizens in Cambodia. 

Last Sunday, it warned Americans against travelling to Cambodia. -- AFP. 




"THERE WILL BE NO REAL DEMOCRACY IF WE CAN'T GURANTEE THE RIGHTS OF THE 
MINORITY ETHNIC PEOPLE.  ONLY UNDERSTANDING THEIR SUFFERING AND HELPING 
THEM TO EXERCISE THEIR RIGHTS WILL ASSIST PREVENTING FROM THE 
DISINTEGRATION AND THE SESESSION."  "WITHOUT UNDERSTANDING THEIR 
STRENGTH, WE CAN'T TOPPLE THE SLORC AND BURMA WILL NEVER BE IN PEACE."


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