Hun Sen warns UN about Ranariddh

Hun Sen warns UN about Ranariddh

PHNOM PENH (AFP): Cambodian strongman Hun Sen warned the
United Nations yesterday against letting deposed co-premier
Prince Norodom Ranariddh attend the UN General Assembly and
defended a cabinet reshuffle which ousted the prince's
supporters.

"If the UN allows people who fled the country after committing
crimes which killed a lot of people and in violation of the
king's decision, I wouldn't understand," the second prime
minister said.

Prince Ranariddh, who was deposed by Hun Sen after fighting in
July and is now in exile, plans to attend the UN meeting which
begins next week in his capacity as Cambodia's elected first
prime minister.

But his cause suffered a setback this month when King Norodom
Sihanouk, the prince's father, signed a letter of accreditation
that named Hun Sen and newly named First Prime Minister Ung Huot
as the leaders of Cambodia's delegation.

The new Phnom Penh regime is eager for full international
recognition and Ung Huot has asked UN Secretary General Kofi
Annan to bar "impostors" from the general assembly as Cambodia's
representatives.

Prince Ranariddh has since appealed to his father to rescind
the accreditation and lead the delegation himself without any
politicians, unless another compromise can be found. Ideas
include leaving the UN seat empty until scheduled elections next
year.

The king has not yet responded, but Hun Sen, speaking to
reporters after a ceremony at Phnom Penh's school of agriculture,
said having only one person represent Cambodia would not be
appropriate.

"If they allow one person alone to represent Cambodia at the
UN, it would be ridiculous," he said, adding that he expected to
attend the session with Ung Huot and would tell the world the
truth about his country.

"I have to tell them that there is nothing strange in
Cambodia," he said. "Cambodia is still Cambodia. We want to tell
them not to be confused."

Reshuffle

Hun Sen also defended a cabinet reshuffle Thursday, which
strips four of Prince Ranariddh's supporters of ministerial posts
and replaces them with leaders of a pro-Hun Sen renegade group
within the prince's party.

The reshuffle, which the prince and his supporters have
decried, also created three new vice-premier positions, giving
Cambodian five deputy prime ministers.

Hun Sen did not address the prince's complaints about the
changes but said an increasing workload on the co-premiers had
made the five deputy positions necessary.

"(Five) is not a lot because nowadays the prime ministers have
too much work. The prime ministers have no time to think about
strategy," Hun Sen said.

The reshuffle, which the current cabinet has already approved
and many observers say is a "done deal", must still be formally
adopted by parliament before it goes into effect.

With uncustomary speed, the National Assembly is expected to
ratify the changes next week.