Prime Minister Hun Sen and CNRP president Sam Rainsy leave a meeting at the National Assembly in Phnom Penh last year. Heng Chivoan
Deal falters, blame begins
Senior Cambodian People’s Party figures who have been at the
forefront of negotiations with the opposition party yesterday offered
lukewarm responses to the prospect of restarting talks that would bring
an end to the opposition’s seven-month-long parliamentary boycott.
Their position – that the opposition party was wrong to reject a deal
discussed at length between Prime Minister Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy
earlier this month after weeks of backroom talks – confirmed speculation
that while the political deadlock had shown promising signs of ending
before Khmer New Year, two weeks on, the parties are no closer to an
agreement.
“Now I will ask you two questions. Who should we meet with? And if we
meet, what are we supposed to talk about? Where should we start from
now because we have gone all the way from the lower level to the top
level [in negotiations] and in the end, the result was kicked out by the
CNRP,” he said.
“Now where should negotiations start from? I don’t know,” said Kheng,
speaking after a ceremony where he appointed the director-general of
the newly formed Department of Immigration at his ministry.
However, he continued, the CPP would still be willing to talk with
the CNRP, but with the onus resting on the opposition to request further
negotiations.
Before the New Year holiday, Rainsy and Hun Sen had reportedly agreed
on a number of aspects of reform, including the overhaul of the
National Election Committee and that the next election be brought
forward to February 2018.
In a move that many interpreted as part of a “divide and conquer”
approach, the premier placed the blame squarely at the feet of Sokha,
who was away in the United States, for not agreeing to that proposal
when the deal faltered.
In response, Rainsy denied there was any split between himself and
Sokha, and said that he had never agreed to a February 2018 election
date. He added that the CNRP was holding out for an election to be held
at least a year earlier than the scheduled July 2018 date.
Senior CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap yesterday echoed Kheng in expressing pessimism about future talks.
Following the prime minister’s line, he said no agreement could be
made while Sokha remained “defiant”, but congratulated Rainsy’s alleged
flexibility in comparison, adding that negotiations could resume when
Hun Sen returns from an official visit to Belarus this Saturday.
Rainsy flew to Europe on April 13 and Sokha remains in the United
States, though both are expected to return to the Kingdom in the coming
days.
“But [I think] that if the negotiations cannot reach a good result,
not doing it is better because it wastes time. [The parties might]
nearly be in accord but just being nearly [in agreement] is not an
agreement at all,” Yeap said.
Rainsy did not respond to emailed requests for comments before press time.
CNRP spokesman Yem Ponharith said he was not surprised that the CPP was not keen on further negotiations.
He added that his party was remaining firm on three key points –
namely an early election, NEC overhaul and a TV licence being granted to the opposition.
“Regarding these three points that we have taken to propose, there
does not seem to be any points that the Cambodian People’s Party [is
serious] about wanting to do at all,” he said.
“If they don’t want to negotiate . . . we should let people who are the voters solve this.”
Political commentator Kem Ley yesterday said he was disappointed in
both parties for focusing on political concessions in negotiations
instead of meaningful reforms.
“They are organising for winning an election, not [to create] a free and fair election,” he said.
“Before Khmer New Year was just a politicians’ agenda . . . [and] not in the country’s interest.”
NEVER TRUST CIMMUNISTS. AH XEN HAS LIED, CHEATED ELECTION,S, HE WON'T STOP.
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