Funcinpec has withdrawn an offer of Prince Norodom Ranariddh reassuming his position as the party’s historical leader, and will not help the prince secure amnesty or return to Cambodia, Funcinpec spokesman Nouv Sovathero said Monday.
“Funcinpec’s goodwill toward Prince Norodom Ranariddh has reached zero level. Our patience is limited,” Nouv Sovathero said.
Officials had announced Thursday that Funcinpec would try to help secure amnesty for the prince if he disbanded the NRP and reassumed his position as Funcinpec historical leader.
Funcinpec’s latest decision, Nouv Sovathero said, stemmed from a letter Prince Ranariddh wrote to Funcinpec President Keo Puth Raksmey, in which he threatened legal action if Funcinpec doesn’t stop using his name.
Funcinpec issued a statement Monday saying the historical leader position is no longer on the table because Prince Ranariddh has already formed his own party.
Informal discussions between Funcinpec and NRP officials aimed at reuniting the two parties have been “destroyed by a small group of people who were against the reunification,” the statement said.
NRP spokesman Muth Channtha said his party is not concerned whether Funcinpec will help the prince obtain amnesty.
On Sunday, Prince Sisowath Thomico formally joined the NRP and urged the SRP and Kem Sokha’s Human Rights Party to join a royalist-orientated political alliance to compete against the CPP in the 2008 national election. During a videotaped speech shown at the merger between Prince Thomico’s Sangkum Jatiniyum Front Party and the NRP, Prince Ranariddh urged Funcinpec members to jump ship to his new party.
