Great Britain Foreign Minister Visit

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- The British Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) Hugo Swire will pay a two-day visit to Cambodia on Thursday to further enhance bilateral ties, according to a press statement from the British Embassy to Cambodia on Wednesday.

"The visit is part of a sustained program of ministerial engagement with Southeast Asian countries to strengthen ties and build new links," the statement said.

"I am very pleased to be making my first trip to Cambodia," Swire said in the statement. "Cambodia is a vibrant and exciting country where the United Kingdom is keen to deepen engagement."

He said his visit is to explore the potential to increase trade links between the two countries as a basis for future economic growth.

"I also want to better understand the current political landscape and challenges that remain in ensuring a peaceful, secure and democratic future for Cambodia," he said.

During his stay, Swire will call on Prime Minister Hun Sen, Foreign Minister Hor Namhong and leaders of the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) to discuss the current political situation.

Cambodia has been trapped in political dispute since the general election in July last year. The election results showed that the Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party won 68 parliamentary seats and the Sam Rainsy's opposition CNRP got the remaining 55 seats.

Claiming serious irregularities, the opposition refused to accept the outcome and has boycotted parliament and held protests in order to demand the resignation of Hun Sen and a re-election.

Hun Sen has said that he would neither step down nor call a re- vote.

The leaders of the two parties met twice in September in a bid to resolve their political differences, but the talks failed to reach any agreements.

Editor: Shen Qing

Cambodian deputy PM urges opposition to join parliament

English.news.cn   2014-01-31 14:57:18

PHNOM PENH, Jan. 31 (Xinhua) -- Cambodian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Hor Namhong said Friday that the country's main opposition party should join the National Assembly if it really wants to debate on an electoral reform or a re-election.
"The CNRP should end protests on streets and join the National Assembly if it really wants to demand for an electoral reform or a re-vote," Hor Namhong said during a meeting with visiting British Minister of State at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office Hugo Swire.
The Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), led by longtime opposition leader Sam Rainsy, has boycotted parliament and held a series of protests to demand an electoral reform and a re-election after last July's disputed election that handed victory to Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP).
According to the nation's constitution, the National Assembly cannot be dissolved before a five-year term ends, Hor Namhong said, adding that the opposition's demand for a re-election or an early election needs an amendment to the constitution.
"And if there is any amendment to the constitution, it is necessary for both sides to sit down and debate in the National Assembly," he said. "So the opposition should join the National Assembly to debate on these matters."
Hor Namhong said the ruling CPP' door is still open for negotiations with the opposition on the dispute.
Political row between the ruling CPP and the opposition CNRP has persisted since the July polls, in which the CPP won 68 parliamentary seats and the CNRP got 55 seats.
Claiming serious irregularities, the CNRP refused to accept the results and has boycotted parliament and held protests to demand the resignation of Hun Sen and a re-vote.
For his part, Swire said that it was essential for the two parties to meet and negotiate for a peaceful solution to the differences.
Both sides also exchanged views on regional issues including territorial disputes between Japan and its neighbors including South Korea and China.
Swire arrived in Phnom Penh on Thursday for a two-day visit to promote bilateral ties and to understand the current political situation in Cambodia.
During his stay, Swire will pay a courtesy call on Hun Sen and meet with opposition leaders.

Editor: Yang Yi

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Prof Suriya Subedi Visit

From January 12 for 5 days

UN News Centre

17 January 2014 – A United Nations independent human rights expert today urged Government and opposition parties in Cambodia to immediately negotiate an end to the ongoing impasse, saying political reconciliation is the “only way forward” for the country.

   Wrapping up week-long visit to Cambodia, Surya P. Subedi, the Special Rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the country, stressed that the ongoing political and social tensions have a direct impact on the enjoyment of human rights by all Cambodians.

In statement issued by the UN Human Rights Office (OHCHR), he said that “flexibility on both sides to reach a political compromise is needed.” The country, he noted, “has to begin its reform agenda, including judicial, electoral and parliamentary reforms” as outlined in his previous reports.

   The UN expert said his meeting with Prime Minister Hun Sen was “frank, cordial and informative”. He praised the political leader for sending “an important signal to the international community that he is ready and willing to seriously address the human rights issues in the country by extending full cooperation during this visit and engaging in meaningful dialogue.”

He noted, however, that there has been a “worrying change from a tolerant to a repressive response of the Government to public protests.”

   Earlier this month, military police opened fire on striking garment workers in Phnom Penh, reportedly killing at least four people. According to OHCHR, the strikes by garment workers pressing for higher wages added fuel to the political demonstrations organized since July by the opposition party to demand the resignation of the Prime Minister and a re-run of the election.

   Mr. Subedi reiterated today his call on the Government to ensure a “thorough, credible and independent investigation” into the shootings, including who issued them and who carried them out.

   The Special Rapporteur, who condemned the violence exercised by some demonstrations, also reiterated that any use of force by the Government must meet the tests of “necessity, legality and proportionality.”

   He also urged the Government to overturn the current ban on demonstrations in force since 4 January, stressing that the legal basis and justification for such a ban was lacking.

Among other issues raised during his visit, and in meetings with officials, human rights experts, citizens and others, Mr. Subedi emphasized that the Government must work to ensure that the national minimum wage is set at a sufficient level to provide workers and their families with a decent standard of living, to be reviewed periodically, based on data, analysis and participation, not repression.

   Independent experts or special rapporteurs are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back, in an unpaid capacity, on specific human rights themes. Mr. Subedi will present his next report to the Council at its September 2014 session.

VN PM visit to Cambodia

Starting with the inauguration of a branch in Phnom Penh of the Vietnamese hospital Chau Rai, on January 13, 2013, with PM HUn Sen.

Jan 7

January 7 (1979) the Victory day for the Khmer People Revolutionary Party over the then Cambodian Communist Party ruled by the Khmer Rouge. The victory was made possible by the intervention of the Vietnamese communist armed forces and the group of former KR led by Heng Samring, Chea Sim and Hun Sen, and also Pen Sovann. It is celebrated today by the Cambodian People Party with around 20,000 people at the Conference Center in Koh Pich in Phnom Penh. The mood of the City is somber, after the crack down on protestors that killed 5 and wounded 4 dozens with @ 20 arrests.

It was also celebrated a few days before in Hanoi with NA President Chea Sim with Vietnamese friends.

A bloody begining of the year 2014

That start with a call of one million to end up in the crack down on Friday January 3rd causing the death of 4 protestors and 2 dozens wounded. Reaction worldwide. The Democracy Park always occupied lately is all cleared ...

January 7 is celebrated in a quiet city.

CNRP New Move

Kyodo News International December 28, 2013 11:17am December 28, 2013 11:17am

Cambodian opposition leader appeals for talks with Hun Sen

Cambodia opposition leader Sam Rainsy appealed Saturday to Prime Minister Hun Sen, who heads the ruling party, to agree to talks in order to find a way out of the country's current political crisis.

At a press conference, Sam Rainsy, leader of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, said his party wants to have an "open talk" with the Cambodian People's Party next week.

He said that, starting from Wednesday, the first day of the New Year, the CNRP requests an open meeting among political parties and major civil organizations with the participation of the public in order for them to listen to the talks.

In an immediate response to Sam Rainsy's appeal, Sar Kheng, deputy prime minister and minister of interior, said the CPP's door is always open for negotiations with the CNRP but he did not give any specific date for such a meeting as Hun Sen just returned home Saturday from a three-day official visit to Vietnam.

Also Saturday, Sam Rainsy made a surprise and rare statement by extending his warm wishes to Hun Sen and his family for happiness and success in work for the betterment of Cambodia and people in the New Year.

However, both Sam Rainsy and his deputy Kem Sokha said that opposition protests will go on unless a proper solution to the current political crisis is found.

Whatever happens next, both said they hope the CPP's leaders, especially Hun Sen, will have a fresh motivation upon his return from Vietnam to settle the differences between the CPP and the CNRP.

Since Dec. 15, the CNRP has staged mass protests and marched around the capital daily.

The CNRP's protesters are calling for a credible probe into alleged electoral fraud by the CPP during last July's general election, and for the holding of a new election. They also demand the resignation of Hun Sen, who has been in power for almost three decades.

The official results of the July 28 general election showed that the CPP won 68 seats in the 123-seat National Assembly and the CNRP 55 seats.

Refusing to recognize those results, the elected opposition parliamentarians have since boycotted all sessions of the assembly.

==Kyodo

For Sunday, CNRP called for 1 million people to protest ...