Prominent Cambodians are planning to attend the presidential convention of the US Democratic Party next week, officials said Monday.
Invites reportedly have been or will be sent to Cambodia’s three leading political parties, and members of the royalist Funcinpec and opposition Sam Rainsy parties so far have accepted.
An official in the Phnom Penh office of the US National Democratic Institute, said his office has invited Prince Norodom Sirivudh, Cambodia’s former foreign minister who now is an adviser to King Norodom Sihanouk, and Sam Rainsy. Both will attend the convention.
The official, So Serey, said Democrats in the US will send a separate invite to the ruling Cambodian People’s Party. Tep Ngorn, chief of the CPP cabinet, said the party had not yet received an invite.
Opposition leader Sam Rainsy, who also will hold fund-raisers in the US, said on Monday he will be “honored” to attend the convention, where it is likely that the nomination of US presidential candidate and current Vice President Al Gore will be confirmed.
The Associated Press on Monday night reported that Gore is likely to select Joseph Lieberman of the US state of Connecticut as his running mate for Vice President. Before, his choices included US Senator John Kerry, who for years has expressed particular interest in Cambodia.
The senator recently played a role in brokering a deal between Cambodia’s government and the United Nations on how to try those who led the Khmer Rouge regime from 1975-1979 and are allegedly responsible for the deaths of more than one million Cambodians.
Shortly after, Kerry told a US newspaper that he favors a partial resumption in direct US aid to Cambodia—a proposal floated by other US lawmakers on visits to Phnom Penh. The US ceased direct aid to Cambodia after fighting between Funcinpec and the CPP crescendoed in July 1997.
Leaders in the CPP, including Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, are planning a trip to the US in September for the opening of the UN General Assembly.
