text: • DOCUMENT S/15650* Letter dated 21 March 1983 from the representative of Democratic Kampuchea to the Secretary-General With reference to General Assembly resolution 37 98 D of I 3 December 1982. I have the honour to transmit to you herewith. for your information, the statement of 16 March 1983 by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea denouncing and condemning the inten­ sified use of chemical weapons by the Vietnamese aggressors against the Kampuchean civilian popula­ tion. together with the attached photographs. I should be very grateful if you would bring this statement and the attached photographs to the atten­ tion of the Group of Experts on the Implementation of the Geneva Protocol of 192511 and have them circulated as an official document of the General Assembly and of the Security Council. (Si~11ecl) THIOUNN Prasith Pem1c111C•11t Repre.H•11tatil'l' <~l /Jc•111ocnt1ic Kampuchea to the U11itecl Nations Statement or 16 :\larch 1983 by the Ministry or Foreign Affairs of the Coalition Gm·ernmenl of Democratic Kampuchea denouncing and condemning the intensified use of chemical weapons by the Viet­ namese aggressors against the Kampuchean civilian population In onkr to .:,<.:ape from their heing hogged down each day deeper and d<.:<.:p<.:r du.: to the ,trugglc waged hy the National Army and gucrrilla, of Dcmo<.:rati<.: Kampu<.:hca and the Kampuchean people. and in order to maJ..c up for the loss of their effectives on the hattldicld,. the Victnamc,c aggressors h.-ve heen intensifying the u,c or <.:hcmi<.:al weapon, during the present dry season of 198:! and 1910. ·1 hq have taken advantage of the dry season when there is lilllc w.otcr left lo ,prcad toxic chemicals on the few sources of water. pond,. l;,kc, and river,. on which the population·s survival depend,. In addition. rhc Vietnamc,c aggrc"or, have used their artillery to 
analysis: The text appears to be a diplomatic communication regarding a humanitarian crisis in Kampuchea (now Cambodia). It describes the use of chemical weapons by Vietnamese aggressors against the civilian population and requests that the statement and attached photographs be circulated as official documents of the General Assembly and Security Council. This suggests that the main concern is the protection of human life and the condemnation of inhumane acts, rather than economic or environmental issues.