Hun Sen's coup irreversible

Cambodia is now in the curious position of having three premiers, following the National Assembly's rubber-stamping of Foreign Minister Ung Huot as the new first prime minister yesterday.

Ung Huot purportedly replaces fellow royalist Prince Ranariddh, who was forced into exile last month after a coup masterminded by Second Prime Minister Hun Sen. But since Cambodian monarch King Norodom Sihanouk has refused to recognize the new appointee, the prince officially remains in power as far as the constitution is concerned.

While the world has largely refused to recognize yesterday's rubber-stamp election, many countries, including the United States, have given up calling for the prince's return, especially since the emergence of new evidence about the extent of his contacts with the Khmer Rouge.

Some, such as Australia, have even indicated they would be willing to recognize a new government in which the ousted leader played no part, providing it is formed in accordance with the Cambodian constitution.

For better or worse, the international community now has little choice but to recognize that Hun Sen's coup is irreversible and even accept the superficial legality conferred by yesterday's selection of Ung Huot.

The priority must be to use limited influence in a bid to stop the continuing killings and press for the release of the prince's supporters still in captivity.

In the longer term, everything possible must be done to try and ensure that the elections, scheduled to be held next May, are as free and fair as possible. But it would be unrealistic to expect too much. Cambodia is now firmly under the rule of Hun Sen and it is inconceivable that he will give up power, even if his party is once again defeated at the ballot box.

-- The South China Morning Post