Hun Sen warns UN about Ranariddh<\/p>\n
PHNOM PENH (AFP): Cambodian strongman Hun Sen warned the
\nUnited Nations yesterday against letting deposed co-premier
\nPrince Norodom Ranariddh attend the UN General Assembly and
\ndefended a cabinet reshuffle which ousted the prince's
\nsupporters.<\/p>\n
"If the UN allows people who fled the country after committing
\ncrimes which killed a lot of people and in violation of the
\nking's decision, I wouldn't understand," the second prime
\nminister said.<\/p>\n
Prince Ranariddh, who was deposed by Hun Sen after fighting in
\nJuly and is now in exile, plans to attend the UN meeting which
\nbegins next week in his capacity as Cambodia's elected first
\nprime minister.<\/p>\n
But his cause suffered a setback this month when King Norodom
\nSihanouk, the prince's father, signed a letter of accreditation
\nthat named Hun Sen and newly named First Prime Minister Ung Huot
\nas the leaders of Cambodia's delegation.<\/p>\n
The new Phnom Penh regime is eager for full international
\nrecognition and Ung Huot has asked UN Secretary General Kofi
\nAnnan to bar "impostors" from the general assembly as Cambodia's
\nrepresentatives.<\/p>\n
Prince Ranariddh has since appealed to his father to rescind
\nthe accreditation and lead the delegation himself without any
\npoliticians, unless another compromise can be found. Ideas
\ninclude leaving the UN seat empty until scheduled elections next
\nyear.<\/p>\n
The king has not yet responded, but Hun Sen, speaking to
\nreporters after a ceremony at Phnom Penh's school of agriculture,
\nsaid having only one person represent Cambodia would not be
\nappropriate.<\/p>\n
"If they allow one person alone to represent Cambodia at the
\nUN, it would be ridiculous," he said, adding that he expected to
\nattend the session with Ung Huot and would tell the world the
\ntruth about his country.<\/p>\n
"I have to tell them that there is nothing strange in
\nCambodia," he said. "Cambodia is still Cambodia. We want to tell
\nthem not to be confused."<\/p>\n
Reshuffle<\/p>\n
Hun Sen also defended a cabinet reshuffle Thursday, which
\nstrips four of Prince Ranariddh's supporters of ministerial posts
\nand replaces them with leaders of a pro-Hun Sen renegade group
\nwithin the prince's party.<\/p>\n
The reshuffle, which the prince and his supporters have
\ndecried, also created three new vice-premier positions, giving
\nCambodian five deputy prime ministers.<\/p>\n
Hun Sen did not address the prince's complaints about the
\nchanges but said an increasing workload on the co-premiers had
\nmade the five deputy positions necessary.<\/p>\n
"(Five) is not a lot because nowadays the prime ministers have
\ntoo much work. The prime ministers have no time to think about
\nstrategy," Hun Sen said.<\/p>\n
The reshuffle, which the current cabinet has already approved
\nand many observers say is a "done deal", must still be formally
\nadopted by parliament before it goes into effect.<\/p>\n
With uncustomary speed, the National Assembly is expected to
\nratify the changes next week.<\/p>",
"url": "https:\/\/jawawa.id\/newsitem\/hun-sen-warns-un-about-ranariddh-1447893297",
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