Opposition leader Sam Rainsy said Tuesday that planning is underway for a meeting between representatives of his CNRP and the ruling CPP to discuss the possibility of a new round of negotiations between the parties.
Mr. Rainsy announced on Sunday that the CNRP would be taking a break from its rolling demonstrations, which have seen tens of thousands of people march to demand that Prime Minister Hun Sen resign, to allow space for negotiations between the parties to recommence.
On Monday night, Information Minister Khieu Kanharith claimed that a meeting between Mr. Rainsy and Mr. Hun Sen was set for Thursday.
Mr. Rainsy denied any knowledge of that meeting on Monday, but said he would meet “any leader of any organization” to negotiate, so long as it was publicly broadcast.
Mr. Rainsy said Tuesday that the CPP and CNRP are planning to discuss future negotiations, but said that he did not know when a preliminary meeting would take place.
“We’ve sent this back to the [joint-party] working group in order to determine the form and framework that the negotiations will take place in,” Mr. Rainsy said.
“First we have to agree in principle the things that we will discuss.”
In recent months, Mr. Rainsy and his deputy, Kem Sokha, have placed varying conditions on future negotiations with the CPP, including broadcasting the negotiations, the presence of independent observers including monks and intellectuals, and Mr. Hun Sen first calling a new national election sometime this year.
Senior CPP government officials, including Interior Minister Sar Kheng, lawmaker Chheang Vun and Council of Ministers spokesman Phay Siphan, however, have repeatedly affirmed that the ruling party is open to negotiations but will not comply with the CNRP’s conditions.
Mr. Rainsy said that the decision to open dialogue between the parties had been a joint one.
“As usual, I’ve been in contact with Sar Kheng for security issues, and we decided together that we will ask a working group to meet to set an agenda,” he said.
Mr. Kanharith, who Mr. Siphan said Tuesday is now responsible for news from the ruling party about negotiations, could not be reached for further comment.
