Chea Sim Answers Rainsy’s Negotiation Request

Senate President Chea Sim said Thursday the ruling CPP was open to more negotiations with the opposition, but insisted that the current process of dealing with complaints over the July 28 national election would be respected.

The CNRP has disputed National Election Committee preliminary results showing a win for the CPP.

CNRP president Sam Rainsy on Wednesday wrote to Mr. Sim asking that talks about a joint committee to investigate allegations of voting irregularities, which have previously been fruitless, be restarted.

Mr. Sim wrote back Thursday, but appeared to be unmovable in the CPP’s insistence that the existing bodies for dealing with election complaints, which the opposition has rejected as being biased, be left in charge.

“In this situation, the National Election Committee continued to implement its work by its own calendar, and solved all the complaints according to the law, rules and election procedure,” the letter says.

“Until now, the Constitutional Council has been solving all the CNRP’s complaints…. However, the Cambodian Peoples’ Party still has good will to discuss and find a resolution, but the CPP’s stance is to still respect the National Election Committee’s results.”

CNRP lawmaker Mu Sochua said that at previous rounds of negotiations on August 3 and 9, the CPP had sent representatives without the power to agree to anything substantial.

“Two times before, the CPP used their representatives, effigies, to join the meeting. But they had no rights to decide,” she said.

Related Stories

Latest News