ASEAN ignores Hun Sen's call for int'l recognition<\/p>\n
PHNOM PENH (Agencies): Cambodian strongman Hun Sen appealed to
\nthe international community Wednesday to recognize his
\nleadership, but failed to sway his Southeast Asian neighbors.<\/p>\n
In an emotional plea, Hun Sen drew on the powerful memories of
\nthe country's bloody history and its tragic twists of fate to
\nargue that his leadership deserved to be approved.<\/p>\n
As Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) members met
\nin Kuala Lumpur and reaffirmed their suspension of Cambodia's
\nentry bid because of its new crisis, Second Prime Minister Hun
\nSen accused the outside world of turning a blind eye to alleged
\ncrimes committed by First Prime Minister Prince Norodom
\nRanariddh.<\/p>\n
\"I feel so sad, we only stopped the war, but we are blamed,\"
\nhe said in a radio broadcast.<\/p>\n
Cambodian officials in Phnom Penh said however they were not
\nsurprised by ASEAN's decision. \"This is not a surprise at all,\"
\nsaid a senior foreign ministry official.<\/p>\n
\"We recognized that there was not enough time to do what we
\nneeded to do for entry on July 23,\" he said. Parliament is to
\nmeet on Monday and is expected to officially depose Prince
\nRanariddh from his position.<\/p>\n
Hun Sen ousted the prince after two days of street battles in
\nPhnom Penh, in which 65 people died and at least 129 were
\nwounded, according to his toll.<\/p>\n
But he has vehemently denied charges of staging a coup, and
\nlashed out at what he called the \"injustice\" of world reaction to
\nthe events.<\/p>\n
\"The issue with foreign countries is this: they kill us,\" Hun
\nSen said. \"They dropped bombs on our heads, they helped (Khmer
\nRouge leader) Pol Pot kill us and then they put sanctions on us.\"<\/p>\n
He was referring to past history when the United States bombed
\nand invaded Cambodia in the 1970s, then led a crippling economic
\nembargo against it amid western support in the 1980s for the
\nanti-Vietnamese resistance, a loose alliance which included the
\nfeared Khmer Rouge rebels.<\/p>\n
Asian diplomats in Phnom Penh welcomed an about-face by
\nCambodia's Hun Sen on mediation in Cambodia's troubles and said
\nthey were awaiting the premier's approval for regional peace
\nefforts.<\/p>\n
Last week, Hun Sen dismissed a mediation offer by an ASEAN
\ndelegation led by Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas, saying
\nforeigners should stay out of Cambodia's business.<\/p>\n
He had earlier rejected a mediation offer by King Norodom
\nSihanouk.<\/p>\n
But Cambodian Foreign Minister Ung Huot, speaking to reporters
\nin Kuala Lumpur after he arrived to attend an ASEAN foreign
\nministers' meeting as an observer, said Hun Sen was now in favor
\nof mediation by the regional group.<\/p>\n
\"We have ... decided that we want ASEAN to be a mediator,\" Ung
\nHuot told reporters. \"That is the new position,\" Ung Huot said,
\nwhen asked if Hun Sen endorsed ASEAN's mediation efforts.<\/p>\n
The foreign ministry in Phnom Penh also released a statement
\nsaying Hun Sen supported regional mediation efforts.<\/p>\n
Hun Sen was not immediately available for comment yesterday
\nand his aides said they were not aware of any policy change by
\nhim.<\/p>\n
Cambodia was due to join ASEAN yesterday but the group
\nsuspended its membership indefinitely in the aftermath of the
\nbloody overthrow of Ranariddh.<\/p>\n
Diplomats in Phnom Penh said they were waiting to hear Hun Sen
\nannounce the policy shift.<\/p>\n
\"It's a statement to make peace again with ASEAN but it would
\nbe more credible if Hun Sen acknowledged it himself,\" one
\ndiplomat said. \"It's a step forward for whatever it's worth,\" he
\nsaid.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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