Defiant Hun Sen rejects ASEAN peace plan<\/p>\n
PHNOM PENH, Cambodia (AP): A peace mission to Cambodia failed
\nyesterday when defiant Hun Sen flatly rejected outside mediation,
\nand the country's exiled prince warned that a full-blown civil
\nwar could break out.<\/p>\n
Hun Sen's refusal to accept a peace proposal by the
\nAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) - which would have
\nrequired him to share power - brought the initiative to a halt.<\/p>\n
Hun Sen met for almost two hours with foreign ministers from
\nThailand, the Philippines and Indonesia to discuss Cambodia's
\nturmoil in the wake of bloody conflict.<\/p>\n
The ministers, who were representing the seven-nation ASEAN,
\nhad hoped to convince Hun Sen to relinquish total control in
\nfavor of a caretaker government until elections can be held.<\/p>\n
"We think that at present the royal government does not need
\nASEAN to take part in helping solve the issue," Hun Sen's
\nspokesman Svay Sitha said.<\/p>\n
Hun Sen's exiled rival, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, reacted by
\nwarning that a new and terrible civil war could engulf his
\nalready violence-ravaged country, but he stopped short of calling
\nfor an armed resistance.<\/p>\n
He said some 20,000 armed troops remained in Cambodia ready to
\nfight Hun Sen, but indicated they lacked ammunition.<\/p>\n
"I am really afraid that we are stepping into a new civil war
\nthat will be terrible in terms of loss of human life and in terms
\nof destruction," Ranariddh told reporters in Bangkok, Thailand.<\/p>\n
The prince said he preferred political pressure to resolve
\nCambodia's problems. He announced the formation of a Union of
\nCambodian Democrats, consisting of four former opposition
\nparties, which pledged "a non-violent, diplomatic solution to the
\ncurrent crisis."<\/p>\n
Hun Sen has faced growing international scorn after deposing
\nco-premier Ranariddh and leaving dozens in the capital dead early
\nthis month.<\/p>\n
Ranariddh on Friday agreed to call off his armed resistance as
\npart of the ASEAN deal. His forces have suffered a series of
\nbattlefield defeats and it is unlikely they could mount an
\neffective military threat against Hun Sen in the foreseeable
\nfuture.<\/p>\n
At the press conference yesterday, Ranariddh said he was not
\ncurrently heading an organized resistance. He said that given the
\n"executions, murders, killings committed by Hun Sen, the people
\nof Cambodia ... do not have any choice but to resist and organize
\nas a resistance."<\/p>\n
Hun Sen has repeatedly called Ranariddh a criminal who fled
\nthe country, rejected claims the prince was deposed in a military
\ncoup.<\/p>\n
"Hun Sen clearly told the ASEAN delegation that the issue we
\nhave in Cambodia is not a political nor a military one," Svay
\nSitha said. "It is a legal one."<\/p>\n
Smiling and relaxed, Hun Sen greeted the visiting dignitaries
\nat the Council of Ministers building in Phnom Penh.<\/p>\n
"We were given quite a clear indication that His Excellency
\nHun Sen believes that ASEAN at this stage should not contribute
\nto finding a solution," Indonesian Foreign Minister Ali Alatas
\ntold reporters after the meeting. "ASEAN will only assume a
\ncontributing role if all sides are willing."<\/p>\n
Another diplomatic effort has been launched by Washington,
\nwhich said Friday it will not accept Hun Sen's takeover and plans
\nto confront him in Phnom Penh.<\/p>\n
U.S. envoy<\/p>\n
U.S. envoy Stephen Solarz is flying to Asia this weekend to
\nrally support for the U.S. position from several countries and
\nCambodian King Norodom Sihanouk.<\/p>\n
Solarz is likely to face the same defiance from Hun Sen.
\nJust days after Hun Sen ousted Ranariddh, ASEAN voted to delay
\nCambodia's membership in the regional economic bloc. It also
\nincludes Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore and Vietnam.<\/p>\n
Hun Sen asked the organization to reconsider its decision,
\nsaying it had been made in haste, his spokesman said.<\/p>\n
The ASEAN foreign ministers put forward a four-point proposal
\naimed at ending the crisis in Cambodia. It called for ending
\nfighting, installing a caretaker government to prepare for new
\nelections and acceptance by both sides of peace accords that led
\nto UN-organized balloting in 1993.<\/p>\n
Hun Sen has threatened to arrest Ranariddh if he returns to
\nPhnom Penh, accusing him of negotiating with final remnants of
\nthe Khmer Rouge guerrilla group to launch a terror campaign.<\/p>\n
Both Hun Sen and Ranariddh have wooed the loyalties of
\nthousands of former Khmer Rouge rebels who defected in the past
\nyear.<\/p>",
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"sponsor": "Okusi Associates",
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