Cambodia's ruling party ready to resume talks with opposition, but refuses probe

English.news.cn   2013-08-29 16:52:42
 

PHNOM PENH, Aug. 29 (Xinhua) -- The ruling party said Thursday it was ready to resume talks with the opposition party over the contested election results, but ruled out the possibility of talks on the formation of a special investigation committee into poll irregularities since it was against the Constitution.

"The Cambodian People's Party (CPP) is ready to resume negotiations with the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) in order to find a solution to the remaining issues based on the election results and the spirit of national reconciliation and unification," the ruling CPP said in a statement.

The statement said the CNRP's insistence for the establishment of an independent poll irregularity probe committee was violating the country's Constitution.

"Article 136 in the Constitution stipulates that the Constitutional Council shall have the right to examine and decide on contested cases involving the election of Assembly members and Senate members," the CPP said.

The CPP's statement came after CNRP's President Sam Rainsy on Thursday renewed his calls for talk resumption with the CPP towards the formation of the independent committee, or he would call a massive nonviolent demonstration on September 7 against the election results.

The two parties had recently met for talks on the matter for two times, but reached no agreement.

"If talks between the two parties towards the formation of an independent poll probe committee have been resumed, we will cancel our protest plan," Rainsy told a press conference at the party's headquarters.

The CPP said in the statement that Rainsy's mass protest announcement will affect people's daily lives and is against the will of the people, who expressed their voices through ballot casting on July 28.

"The CPP would like to appeal to the CNRP to see national interests and peoples as priority and should work together to resolve the remaining issues, avoiding using any means that are contrary to the multi-party liberal democratic regime and the rule of law," the statement said.

Pa Socheatvong, governor of Phnom Penh City, said Thursday that any protest must comply with the Law on Peaceful Demonstrations in order to maintain social security and public order.

"The Phnom Penh Municipality hopes that Mr. President of the CNRP will have high spirit and real will to cooperate with authorities to maintain social stability and peace, which are the genuine aspirations of the Cambodian people," he wrote in a letter to Sam Rainsy.

Initial election results showed that the ruling CPP of long- serving Prime Minister Hun Sen won the poll with 68 of the 123 parliamentary seats, and the CNRP of longtime opposition leader Sam Rainsy took the remaining 55 seats.

But the CNRP rejected the results, saying that it should have won 63 seats, with the CPP getting the remaining 60 seats if alleged poll irregularities were fairly resolved.

Currently, the Constitutional Council, which is the country's final arbiter, has been resolving complaints filed by the opposition party against the election results.

Tep Nytha, secretary general of the National Election Committee, said the final election results would be issued on September 8.

Under the country's Constitution, a new parliament will be inaugurated no later than 60 days after the election.

Prime Minister Hun Sen said on Aug. 2 that a new parliament and a new government would be established as scheduled despite the opposition's boycott.

According to the Constitution, he said, a new government would be formed by a 50 percent plus one majority, or 63 lawmakers, in the new parliament.

Hun Sen, 61, who has been in power for 28 years, will extend his power for further five years through the election victory.