Cambodia opp. asked to end boycott

The Cambodian king has called on opposition legislators to reconsider their threatened boycotting of the parliament in a order to serve œnational unity”.

“I would like to invite his and her Excellencies to attend the first meeting of the National Assembly in order to show national unification and unity,” King Norodom Sihamoni said in a royal letter addressed to 55 elected opposition lawmakers on Wednesday.

On July 28, Cambodia’s state election board announced the victory of Cambodia™s ruling party Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) and handed 68 National Assembly seats to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s party and 55 seats to the opposition party.

The leader of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) Sam Rainsy cried foul over the results of the election, claiming serious irregularities. He said the party should have won 63 seats if the elections had been fair.

The opposition officials have yet to comment on the king™s invitation.

The royal message came one day after the leaders of Cambodia’s ruling and opposition parties said they were approaching a deal to settle disputes over the disputed election.

The second round of talks between Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy was held on Tuesday after they failed to reach an agreement in the first round held on September 14.

MM/KA