The memoir of Trần Quang Cơ (1927-2015), former member of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) and First Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), brings to light the intense diplomacy among great powers and regional players over the continued conflicts in Indochina after the unification of Vietnam as well as the bitter disagreements within the Vietnamese leadership over the country’s political priorities during the period of 1975-1993.

Cơ put together his memories and thoughts on “many sensitive developments” in Vietnamese foreign relations that he believed had been “intentionally or unintentionally” forgotten (rơi rụng) in the state-endorsed history “to ‘smooth over’ (tròn trĩnh) the historical record.”  Completed in Vietnamese in 2001 (updated in 2003) and informally circulated on the internet, Merle Pribbenow’s English-translation makes this valuable historical source available to wider audiences.

Prince Nordom Sihanouk weighs in on the situation in Cambodia, stating that though the situation is grim, "his own policy was to wait and see" what would happen next.

The Vietnamese Foreign Ministry denounces the delivery to Thailand by the United States of military equipment.

Vietnam rejects claims put forth by Thailand that "Viet Nam has attacked civilian population at refugee camps along the Thai-Kampuchean border and intruded into Thai territory."