Senior Funcinpec lawmaker Monh Saphan on Thursday accused the CPP of breaching its coalition agreement with the royalists by removing the party’s co-ministers of interior and defense on March 2.
According to a copy of the 2004 coalition agreement, signed at the end of the nearly year-long political deadlock that followed the July 2003 elections, royalist officials cannot be promoted or demoted without the consent of Funcinpec President Prince Norodom Ranariddh.
“They complied with the agreement only by mouth, but in reality they don’t comply,” Monh Saphan said of the removal of co-minister of defense Nhiek Bun Chhay and co-minister of interior Prince Norodom Sirivudh, who were dismissed by Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Government spokesman and Information Minister Khieu Kanharith responded that the CPP is still adhering to the deal.
“Those people who said [the CPP breached the agreement], they wanted to split the CPP from Funcinpec,” he said.
Hun Sen also said Thursday that the alliance remained strong, and urged Funcinpec officials in the government to keep working and not to worry.
“[Funcinpec] ministers and deputy ministers, continue efficiently in government,” he said at a ceremony in Banteay Meanchey province and broadcast on radio.
“This is not the elimination of the alliance between the CPP and Funcinpec Party that work in the coalition government. This is a political issue, there is nothing to worry about,” he said.
On Sunday, Prince Ranariddh urged his party to remain loyal to the coalition agreement.
“The Funcinpec party strongly respects the agreement…. This is the legal document that I insist Funcinpec officials, from the top to the group level, respect and do not betray,” he said.
Hang Puthea, director of the Neutral and Impartial Committee for Free Elections in Cambodia, said he believed the CPP has breached the agreement.
“This will create an environment of mistrust” between the parties, he said.
