World Notes Cambodia

Pol Pot, head of the Khmer Rouge's genocidal regime during the 1970s, has not been seen in public for about 10 years. Last week, however, the Asian Wall Street Journal reported that he was lurking in the background when Cambodian peace talks were held in Thailand in June. While negotiations with the Vietnam-backed government of Hun Sen were under way, the ex-dictator reportedly instructed the guerrillas from a secret location nearby. He is said to have acceded to government demands to designate Phnom Penh as the seat of the four-party Supreme National Council, consisting of the Khmer Rouge, the Hun Sen faction and two noncommunist groups.

Only a few months ago, Pol Pot's presence anywhere near such a conference might have set back the peace process by provoking objections from Hun Sen, whose government has condemned him and seven others to death. The subdued reaction to the news seemed to confirm that with warming relations between Vietnam and China, there is real momentum in the drive to settle the 12-year- old conflict.