The Khmer Rouge refused to take part in the U.N.-directed disarmament of Cambodia's four fighting factions that began Saturday.
The disarming of government soldiers and three guerrilla groups is a critical element of the peace plan that all sides agreed to last year. The Khmer Rouge says other aspects of the plan are not being adhered to, so it will not lay down its weapons.The Khmer Rouge position raises the possibility of a new surge in fighting because other factions have warned that they will respond in kind to any aggression. The Khmer Rouge has attacked several government positions over the past few weeks.
Troops of the Phnom Penh government turned over guns and ammunition on Saturday and reported to sites for cantonment, or temporary quartering, in several areas of the country, including this eastern province.
At cantonment sites in Prey Veng and near the capital, Phnom Penh, more than a ton of ammunition was turned over to the United Nations.
Gen. John Sanderson, the military commander of the U.N. operations, told reporters that no Khmer Rouge guerrillas showed up at the sites.
Yasushi Akashi, leader of the U.N. mission, said: "Time is very much running out. The door is gradually being closed."
It could not immediately be determined whether any weapons had been turned over by fighters of the two non-communist guerrilla factions: the Khmer People's National Liberation Front and fighters loyal to Prince Norodm Sihanouk, who now leads the reconciliation council that is guiding Cambdia through the transitional period until free elections are held.
The U.N. Security Council on Friday appealed for the Khmer Rouge to rejoin the peace process. The statement, released in New York, said "any delay could jeopardize the whole peace process."
Khmer Rouge leader Khieu Samphan reiterated Friday that his faction would refuse to cooperate until the U.N. force first verified that Vietnamese troops had left the country and the Phnom Penh government was stripped of most of its powers.
Vietnam says it withdrew its last troops in September 1989, and the U.N. mission says it has no evidence that any Vietnamese soldiers remain in the country.
Cambodia has suffered 22 years of warfare and turmoil, sparked by a 1970 coup by pro-American military officers.
A Vietnamese invasion in 1978 brought down the Khmer Rouge government, which led a three-year reign of terror over the country. More than 1 million of Cambodia's 8 million people died under Khmer Rouge rule.
A spokesman for the rebel National Liberation Front vowed to join with the government to battle Khmer Rouge forces if they would not cease their fighting.
The front had been uneasily allied with the Khmer Rouge during the 13-year civil war.
"We don't want fighting anymore, we want to rebuild our country," the Liberation Front's chief of staff, Gen. Pan Thai said.
Last week, Cambodian Foreign Minister Hor Nam Hong said the government reserved the right to respond to Khmer Rouge attacks.