"Norodom Ranariddh has no need to go to the United States"
Responding to McConnell's suggestion that lawmakers
who voted to lift immunity and their kin be barred
from entering the United States, Ranariddh said
Friday: "Let me tell you now: Norodom Ranariddh has no
need go to the United States."
He called America's reaction a "double standard" and
"categorically unacceptable."
"I'm not Khmer Rouge, not a criminal," Ranariddh said.
"I cannot accept the fact that they are making an
accused, a hero, and the victims, defendants."
That's it. SKP broke off any relationship he had left with the U.S. He prefers to be subservient to the Strongman. He needs not the U.S. any more. The U.S. is his enemy now.
He calls himself a victim. If that's the case, can he agree to open up his bank accounts and declare his assets? Can he show to the world how the bid was done to build the new NA? Why wasn't the lowest bid awarded for the job? There was a difference of $14 million. Where would the money go to? Who is the victim? Who is the accused?
When the Strongman toppled SKP, who did the latter rush to for help? The U.S.? He must have a very short memory. So now he says that the U.S. is involved in the internal affairs of Cambodia. If that's the case, why did he ask the U.S. to bring him back to power?
who voted to lift immunity and their kin be barred
from entering the United States, Ranariddh said
Friday: "Let me tell you now: Norodom Ranariddh has no
need go to the United States."
He called America's reaction a "double standard" and
"categorically unacceptable."
"I'm not Khmer Rouge, not a criminal," Ranariddh said.
"I cannot accept the fact that they are making an
accused, a hero, and the victims, defendants."
That's it. SKP broke off any relationship he had left with the U.S. He prefers to be subservient to the Strongman. He needs not the U.S. any more. The U.S. is his enemy now.
He calls himself a victim. If that's the case, can he agree to open up his bank accounts and declare his assets? Can he show to the world how the bid was done to build the new NA? Why wasn't the lowest bid awarded for the job? There was a difference of $14 million. Where would the money go to? Who is the victim? Who is the accused?
When the Strongman toppled SKP, who did the latter rush to for help? The U.S.? He must have a very short memory. So now he says that the U.S. is involved in the internal affairs of Cambodia. If that's the case, why did he ask the U.S. to bring him back to power?
posted by Proleung at
7:59 AM
2 Comments:
Friday February 4, 3:28 PM
U.S. Senator seeks sanctions against Cambodia for
lifting opposition lawmakers' immunity
The United States should take tough action against
Cambodia for stripping the parliamentary immunity of
opposition leader Sam Rainsy and two party colleagues,
a U.S. Senator said in a statement received Friday.
Sen. Mitch McConnell, a Republican from Kentucky,
urged the U.S. State Department to respond in "a
forceful and appropriate manner."
The Cambodian lawmakers who voted to lift immunity and
their family members should be prohibited from
entering the United States, McConnell said.
In a closed-door vote Thursday, the National Assembly
revoked the immunity of Sam Rainsy _ long the
government's most outspoken critic _ as well as Cheam
Channy and Chea Poch.
The action paved the way for lawsuits filed by
government leaders against the three to go forward,
some of them concerning defamation and slander.
"This is outrageous and unacceptable," McConnell said,
who called on Cambodia's donors to condemn the
government and consider sanctions against it.
I AM :
I'M SEEKING :
Sam Rainsy left Cambodia early Thursday on a flight to
Singapore.
Later that day, Cheam Channy was arrested on a charge
of trying to illegally recruit an armed group.
In the most important case, Prime Minister Hun Sen
filed a suit against Sam Rainsy in January 2004
claiming the opposition leader slandered him by
accusing the government of hatching an assassination
plot against its political opponents.
Sam Rainsy faces three lawsuits charging defamation
and slander, said Kim San, National Assembly secretary
general.
The royalist Funcinpec party, the junior partner in
Hun Sen's ruling coalition, sued Chea Poch for
defamation. They claim he said that Funcinpec leader,
Prince Norodom Ranariddh, received a bribe from Hun
Sen to form a government in July 2004 after a one-year
political deadlock.
Diplomats and civil rights advocates quickly
criticized the parliamentary action as a blow to
Cambodia's fledging democracy. The State Department
had warned before the vote that the country may have
to face consequences.
McConnell said Hun Sen and Ranariddh came up with a
"devious" plan to undermine the opposition and that
the vote was carried out by a "rubber-stamp"
Parliament behind closed doors.
"Hun Sen and Ranariddh underestimate the resolve of
the United States ... to stand by those championing
freedom and liberty," he said, adding that they
"should know that Washington _ and the world _ are
watching."
The U.S. State Department "strongly" condemned the
vote on Thursday.
Hun Sen said he wasn't concerned about criticism.
Responding to McConnell's suggestion that lawmakers
who voted to lift immunity and their kin be barred
from entering the United States, Ranariddh said
Friday: "Let me tell you now: Norodom Ranariddh has no
need go to the United States."
He called America's reaction a "double standard" and
"categorically unacceptable."
"I'm not Khmer Rouge, not a criminal," Ranariddh said.
"I cannot accept the fact that they are making an
accused, a hero, and the victims, defendants."
He said Sam Rainsy fled Cambodia Thursday in a U.S.
Embassy vehicle, which took him to the airport where
he boarded a flight to Singapore.
Ranariddh accused the United States of meddling in the
internal affairs of Cambodia and said he'll ask the
government ask the U.S. Embassy about its spirting
away of Sam Rainsy in an official U.S. vehicle.
U.S. Embassy spokeswomwan Heide Bronke Friday declined
to comment on the case.
By
Anonymous, at 8:15 AM
CAMBODIA: RANARIDDH WANTS U.S. IN LEADERSHIP ROLE TO END CRISIS
Source: Inter Press Service English News Wire
Date: 7/12/1997
Author: Michael Keats
Inter Press Service English News Wire
07-12-1997
WASHINGTON, Jul. 11 (IPS) -- Cambodian First Prime Minister
Norodom Ranariddh, ousted from power by his coalition partner Hun
Sen, appealed to the United States today to take a leadership role
in ending the crisis in his country.
While he "welcomed the freezing of all U.S. aid to Cambodia for
30 days" he added that "this is not enough." He urged the
international community to slap economic sanctions on the country
and not to respond to Hun Sen, his co-premier who seized power last
weekend.
Speaking to reporters after meeting Acting Secretary of State
Thomas Pickering, Ranariddh said he hoped the United States would
bring its diplomatic weight to bear in sending a clear signal to
Hun Sen that it would not recognize "his coup" in Phnom Penh.
At a separate news briefing State Department spokesman Nicholas
Burns said that Pickering had urged the Cambodian leaders to
"resolve their political differences peacefully and to abide by
the principles of the 1991 Paris Peace Accords."
Pickering reaffirmed the wish of the United States that
elections be held in Cambodia in 1998 "as the two prime ministers
had agreed just a couple of weeks ago," Burns said.
For his part, Ranariddh told a news conference he would be
willing to meet Hun Sen to bring about a peaceful restoration of
the democratically elected government in Cambodia.
He said this meeting could be in Cambodia "if my safety is
guaranteed" or in Beijing. Acknowledging that "one government with
two heads " had worked well from 1993 until late 1995 Ranariddh
said the situation had worsened since then.
"But I think that with the real willingness of all of the
parties, including the two prime ministers, it would be possible
to work with each other -- not to run the government, but simply
to prepare for elections next year."
Earlier Burns said the United States had warned Hun Sen, "and
his ambassador here in Washington that any attempt to engage in
political assassinations or political recriminations -- and there
is a lot of that going on right now -- is going to be condemned by
the United States and many other countries around the world."
Washington is wary of taking sides between the Hun Sen's
Cambodian People's party (CPP) and Ranariddh's FUNCINPEC party.
Burn alleged this week Ranariddh had tried to gain political
advantage against Hun Sen by courting the Maoist Khmer Rouge
guerrilla movement, which killed more than one million Cambodians
during the 1975-79 dictatorship of its leader, Pol Pot.
Ranariddh denied this charge in New York yesterday and again in
Washington.
"I did not move closer to the Khmer Rouge," he said. "I do not
need the Khmer Rouge...which is very close to being completely
disintegrated. But what we have to do is put an end to the Khmer
Rouge problem through peaceful means."
The reports of revenge killings in Cambodia, meanwhile were
condemned today by Amnesty International Secretary General Pierre
Sane.
In an open letter to Hun Sen, the head of the human rights
watchdog organization said Amnesty condemned the reported execution
of two FUNCINPEC ministers, Hor Sok and Chao Sambath, and other
royalist officials and supporters.
"Your assurances to the international community that there is
no persecution simply are not borne out by the systematic campaign
of arrests, harassment and even killings conducted by your forces
in recent days against your political opponents," Sane wrote.
"It is tragic...that ordinary Cambodians are yet again suffering
violations of their fundamental human rights, and that developments
in Cambodia have again become a threat to stability and security
in the Asia-Pacific region."
Sane said such "grave abuses" were particularly disturbing as
they had occurred in the same week Hun Sen's officials had invited
Amnesty International to visit Cambodia for discussions on human
rights.
He called on Hun Sen to "demonstrate good faith by taking
immediate steps to halt the killing, arrest and harassment of
peaceful political activists in Cambodia."
Copyright 1997 IPS/GIN. The contents of this story can not be duplicated in any fashion without written permission of Global Information Network
PRINCE NORODOM RANARIDDH OUSTED CAMBODIAN CO-PRIME MINISTER WEBWIRE-ADDRESSES THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB
Source: Washington Transcript Service
Date: 7/11/1997
Washington Transcript Service
07-11-1997
FORMER CO-PRIME MINISTER OF CAMBODIA DELIVERS REMARKS
AT THE NATIONAL PRESS CLUB
JULY 11, 1997
*** Elapsed Time 00:00, Eastern Time 13:20 ***
SPEAKER: PRINCE NORODOM RANARIDDH, FORMER CO-PRIME MINISTER
OF CAMBODIA
[*]
RANARIDDH: Thank you very much. Good afternoon ladies and
gentlemen. I am here today to Washington, D.C. to ask for your help in
ending the killing in Cambodia and restoring peace and democracy.
As I stand here now, my colleague, as a co-prime minister, is
attempting to overthrow the democratically elected government of Cambodia.
In his grab of power, innocent people are being killed and
members of my political party and members of other political parties are
being round up and executed.
*** Elapsed Time 00:01, Eastern Time 13:21 ***
Democracy is near death in my country. Only with the immediate
intervention of the international community led by United Nations can democracy
be saved. I want to thank the United States of cutting of assistance to
Cambodia.
But for 30 days, we will not be enough. However, this is only a
first step. On behalf of the Cambodian people, I am asking the United
States to take a leadership role by bringing its diplomatic wedge to bear
to solve this terrible crisis.
*** Elapsed Time 00:02, Eastern Time 13:22 ***
I propose negotiations. I want to negotiate with Hun Sen to
bring about peaceful restoration of the democratically elected government
of Cambodia and stop immediately the killing. I would like to tell you
that I am pleased with the result of my meeting with senators, both in
the Congress, in the Senate and I am quite satisfied with my meeting that
I did just have with the acting secretary of state, my friend of mine,
Thomas Pickering and now in thanking you again for coming to this press
meeting. I'm at your disposal for question and answer.
*** Elapsed Time 00:03, Eastern Time 13:23 ***
Thank you.
QUESTION: What's your reaction to American criticism that you
tried to get two thirds of Khmer Rouge and perhaps (OFF-MIKE)?
RANARIDDH: You see that Hun Sen himself several months ago had
been in touch with Ieng Sary.
*** Elapsed Time 00:04, Eastern Time 13:24 ***
Ieng Sary was identified as a second to Pol Pot. When they used
to talk about Pol Pot, they had to talk about Ieng Sary. And when Hun
Sen talk with Ieng Sary and ask his majesty the king to give amnesty to
Ieng Sary, there are no criticism.
What I did, is not to move closer to Khmer Rouge. I do not need
the Khmer Rouge.
RANARIDDH: I do not need the Khmer Rouge. The Khmer Rouge are
some political and military movement, very close to being completely disintegrated.
And so what I'm doing is not to negotiate with the Khmer Rouge. We do
not need to negotiate anymore with the Khmer Rouge. But what we have to
do is to put an end to the Khmer Rouge matter or the Khmer Rouge problem
through peaceful means. But what I want to do, the must, is to bring Pol
Pot to the Cambodian nation and to the international court in order for
him to respond for his crime against the people of Cambodia and against
humanity.
*** Elapsed Time 00:05, Eastern Time 13:25 ***
I do not have any interest to flirt with the Khmer Rouge. The
Khmer Rouge is, as I said, under process of being completely ended. Thank
you.
QUESTION: You called upon the United States to play a leading
role. What precisely would you like the United States to do?
RANARIDDH: I have to say that I'm quite satisfied with the first
reaction coming from the administration in suspending the American aid
to Phnom Penh before, but only 30 days. I think that 30 days is not enough.
But what I want from the United States of America that a very clear and
consistent and strong signal be sent to Phnom Penh in saying that the United
States of America will not accept any political movement, regime, government,
issue from a coup d'etat.
Your, Mr. Ackerman (ph), you said that there are debate in order
to know whether it was coup d'etat or not. I'd like to let you know that
the time when a legitimate government or a legitimate prime minister, because
I was elected by the people of Cambodia through free and fair elections
organized and supervised by the United Nations, if there's any, the time
when there is a use of forces to overthrow or to topple an elected prime
minister, you do not have nothing to do and to think of but to qualify
it a coup.
*** Elapsed Time 00:06, Eastern Time 13:26 ***
We have to call a cat a cat, a coup a coup. Please, don't do
with this because it's a question of principle.
Besides that, what I want, one, the United States of America to
send to Phnom Penh a very strong and wrong signal that you will recognize
any government issue from the coup, because the coup is a clear violation
of the Paris peace agreement signed in 1991 and clear result of the elections.
From the election, we do have the national assembly, and from that national
assembly, we do have a government
presided over by Ranariddh as first prime minister and by Hun Sen as second
prime minister.
*** Elapsed Time 00:07, Eastern Time 13:27 ***
We should stick to this formula. Otherwise we will deny by
ourself what we did so well, what the world community did so well in 1991
and in 1993.
Secondly, I ask the United States of America to freeze, why not
indefinitely, her aid to Phnom Penh, unless we will be back to the legacy,
to the legitimacy, through a government issued from the election of 1993.
RANARIDDH: And it is what I have asked the United Nations as
well, but I'm quite satisfied with the result of my conversation yesterday
in United Nations. I think that the president of the Security Council
of the United Nations will make the statement along this line.
*** Elapsed Time 00:09, Eastern Time 13:29 ***
And I'm so satisfied also with the stand made by ASEAN in
postponing the admission of Cambodia as a member of ASEAN, as it will make
an appeal to the king, to the prime ministers -- namely Hun Sen and myself
-- to talks.
And I'd like to tell you that ASEAN will send a special envoy to
see the king, to see (OFF-MIKE) Hun Sen, and to see myself, in order to
find out means to put an end to the present very serious crisis in my country.
Thank you.
QUESTION: You said you were willing to negotiate with Hun Sen.
So far, the coalition government has been a disaster, it hasn't really
worked. What would be the terms that you would negotiate with him on? What
would you like to see happen?
RANARIDDH: You see -- it appears that we did not remember -- we
do not remember that the coalition government -- one government, two heads
-- worked quite well from 1993 to late 1995. And the situation is worsening
from late 1995 up to now, because of the election, you know?
*** Elapsed Time 00:10, Eastern Time 13:30 ***
But the formula is not an ideal one, of one government running
through consensus way. But I think that is the real willingness of all
of the parties, including the two prime ministers, it would be possible
to work with each other not to run the government, but simply to prepare
the upcoming and the next elections.
I think that what we have to do, the objective now is to have in
time, free and fair elections as planned (ph) in May 1998. Thank you.
*** Elapsed Time 00:11, Eastern Time 13:31 ***
(UNKNOWN): There was a hand over here of someone. Yes.
QUESTION: What did Secretary Pickering promise you besides the
30 day suspension of the aid, and basically rhetorical support (OFF- MIKE)?
RANARIDDH: I think that Undersecretary of State Pickering and
myself, we share some common ground, under (OFF-MIKE) points that any violence
can not be accepted, to change the government or any leadership. I think
that we agree on this point.
And the United Nations, as well, ASEAN and Union European -- I
think that there's common ground on this particular point.
*** Elapsed Time 00:12, Eastern Time 13:32 ***
One, (OFF-MIKE) he agrees that we have to abide by the peace --
Paris peace agreement as fundamentals -- as principles, we can not do anything
beside the Paris peace agreement. Secondly, (ph) we have to acknowledge
that it must be only one government that one presides over by Ranariddh
and by Hun Sen, not under the government else (ph).
RANARIDDH: Third, we agree that it must be now (OFF-MIKE) of
dialogue between ASEAN and all parties concerned, including His Majesty
the King, Hun Sen and myself.
As far as the American position is concerned, I have to say that
the United States will reduce the number of embassy staff. It is the first
step, and the ambassador of the United States, Mr. Quinn, will be asked
to come back to Washington for consultation.
He had to set (ph) for consultation. And it is what Mr.
Pickering told me. I have to say that I am not completely satisfied with
the date of the cutting or the freezing if it's only for 30 days.
*** Elapsed Time 00:13, Eastern Time 13:33 ***
Thank you.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) I'd like to comment on the recent events.
I just read a news dispatch (OFF-MIKE). (OFF-MIKE). (OFF-MIKE) reject
your leadership (OFF-MIKE). Will you comment on that?
*** Elapsed Time 00:14, Eastern Time 13:34 ***
RANARIDDH: You know you have to say that when you are in the
situation and position in Phnom Penh under the real threat, threat to your
life, I do not believe that there is anything else to do but to say what
Hun Sen wants them to say. As it is -- as well as (OFF-MIKE) is concerned.
I have to tell you that according to what I know from the (OFF-
MIKE), what he try is to save the lives of our members, lives really threatened
by Mr. Hun Sen. And he thinks, wrongly or rightly, I do not know, that
in doing so, he would be able to, as the French said, "limite les degat."
Just to maybe limit it to real threat against the lives of our members.
*** Elapsed Time 00:15, Eastern Time 13:35 ***
As far as (OFF-MIKE) is concerned, upon his arrival, he say that
he's still fidel to me. But he had to go back in order to walk with Hun
Sen in you know, what you call it, in trying to provide more peace and
stability.
I think that only the future will tell us whether they are wrong
or they are right. I would prefer, as far as myself is concerned, that
they do not join Hun Sen, because it would be a wrong signal to be giving
to the international community in saying that, you know, in Phnom Penh,
please don't get involved in our affairs.
We do have now a bilateral coalition government. In the
government, we do have a member of FUNCINPEC now working with us, et cetera,
et cetera.
*** Elapsed Time 00:16, Eastern Time 13:36 ***
But you see, I'm a liberal man. I am not Mr. Hun Sen. At a time
when they want to go and join Mr. Hun Sen, I have to say, please go. But
that you take your own responsibilities before our history and before our
nation.
Thank you very much.
(UNKNOWN): This gentleman right here.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE). I think Secretary Pickering urged you to
find out a way to restore a functioning coalition.
QUESTION: I was -- I wonder, how do you think that you can have
the coalition functions? And do you reject the FUNCINPEC to choose another
leader judging the (OFF-MIKE)?
*** Elapsed Time 00:17, Eastern Time 13:37 ***
RANARIDDH: You see, I have clearly to detect FUNCINPEC will
appoint another prime minister. Not because I want to be the first prime
minister, because we have to abide by the Paris Peace Accord. We have to
talk about legitimacy. We have to talk about the continuation of legitimacy.
Therefore, I think that we cannot accept any government else, but
that one coming up from the 1993 United Nations elections.
Besides that, I would have to say that before talking about the
coalition, again, we have to talk about whether Mr. Hun Sen will be willing
or not to talk to me, and to sit down -- and to sit down all together to
resolve the present crisis, and to go after that -- to any form of coalition
government.
Please don't put the cart before the oxen. We have to put the
oxen first.
*** Elapsed Time 00:18, Eastern Time 13:38 ***
Now, we have one cow (ph) and we have one cart, which is the
royal government of Cambodia. We have to bring the second oxen -- one,
to make a complete (OFF-MIKE). Thank you very much.
QUESTION: Do you believe that you will be allowed to go back to
Cambodia any time soon? And if so, do you plan to? Under what conditions
would do that, to guarantee your safety?
And finally, do you believe that the future of Cambodia will
exist under a coalition government?
RANARIDDH: I think that for the time being, Mr. Hun Sen is not
ready yet to allow me to go back. And if he allows me to go back, he will
send me to court -- his own court. And my security will not be guaranteed,
of course.
*** Elapsed Time 00:19, Eastern Time 13:39 ***
But after, if there are any negotiations and talks, we will talk
about the guarantee to be provided for my return to Cambodia. If I will
have enough guarantee for my safety, I have to say that I will not hesitate
to go back home.
And as far as -- once again, what kind of coalition we have to
talk about, I think that it's too late to talk now about the government
itself. We have to talk about of some kind of administration or technical
administration aiming at preparing alongside with the world community,
the next election that has to be fair, has to be Democratic and has to
be free. Thank you.
*** Elapsed Time 00:20, Eastern Time 13:40 ***
QUESTION: My question is about China. (OFF-MIKE). My second
question is, when you come to power (ph), will you (OFF-MIKE)?
RANARIDDH: Thank you very much. About China, as you see, China
is one of the Asian superpowers -- no, Asian power -- and one of the permanent
members of the Security Council of the United Nations.
Of course, China has a role to play. But for the time being,
China is very discrete and China would prefer to say that what happened
in Cambodia is an internal affair of Cambodia. To say that it is an internal
affair of Cambodia, it would say that, please, don't get involved.
*** Elapsed Time 00:21, Eastern Time 13:41 ***
Do not do any involve (ph) to any internal affairs of China. I
think it's very easy (OFF-MIKE), to be self protection. I think that you
understand me very well.
But I cannot go further with China. China got about one million
-- one billion and 200 million. Cambodia is now less than 11 million of
people. Please don't ask me to elaborate further.
Well, as to your second question is concerned...
QUESTION: When you come to power, will you be subjected (ph)...
RANARIDDH: Yes, absolutely. Absolutely. You see, I have to say
that I have been accused by the administration, of this country in particular,
of flirting with the Khmer Rouge.
I don't not know whether you know the Khmer Rouge. It is not
very good to flirt with them. I have seen beautiful ladies before me better
to do it, yes. But not with...
(LAUGHTER)
*** Elapsed Time 00:22, Eastern Time 13:42 ***
And so you see, I like to call your attention on the fact that
I'm the only one during last several weeks that I have made a real effort
in order to bring Pol Pot to an international court. No one than myself
did it.
But not only I will continue, but the time when I would have any
possibility, I will do it, in bringing Pol Pot and associates to an international
court. And I like to tell you that one of the reasons why Hun Sen has
started his coup, because maybe he's afraid that the facts, if we will
bring Pol Pot to any international court, Pol Pot will say that maybe the
hands of Mr. Hun Sen is as bloody as those ones of Pol Pot.
*** Elapsed Time 00:23, Eastern Time 13:43 ***
Thank you.
(UNKNOWN): There was a woman on the right -- yes -- no, in the
white. You standing up in the white blouse or jacket.
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) July 9th from Paris, saying you (OFF-MIKE).
So how do you envision these negotiations with them going forward? Do
you have assurances from a neutral country to hold them in a separate location
(OFF-MIKE) Cambodia? And will you please comment on the health of your
father?
RANARIDDH: About...
QUESTION: The health of your farther, the king.
RANARIDDH: (OFF-MIKE), for the timing I have to say, how many
question are you going to take (OFF-MIKE)?
*** Elapsed Time 00:24, Eastern Time 13:44 ***
(UNKNOWN): You tell me. You tell me.
RANARIDDH: Because I do not have any lunch from 6:00 a.m. in
morning. But you know, I'm very pleased to be here. But I have seen many,
many -- for how long I have -- OK, thank you very much (OFF- MIKE).
(LAUGHTER)
(UNKNOWN): I didn't know. I would have brought lunch here.
(LAUGHTER)
RANARIDDH: No, no, no, no.
(UNKNOWN): There's a man in a white shirt right there, he's
next...
RANARIDDH: No, no, no, no. I haven't answered it.
(LAUGHTER)
(UNKNOWN): Oh, I'm sorry.
RANARIDDH: Yes, the answer to the question. To the question...
QUESTION: (OFF-MIKE) second one, please, the first. Do you
have assurances from a third country for all these negotiations?
RANARIDDH: Yes, yes. About your first part of your question, I
have said at the time when I will have enough guarantee, I have said that
I would not go to Cambodia, but if I would have enough guarantees, I will
go to Cambodia. But I would prefer Beijing, for instance, you know, in
my residence, my father's residence.
Yes, and talking about my father, it will allow me to make a
transition to the second part of your question.
*** Elapsed Time 00:25, Eastern Time 13:45 ***
You know, I think that he must see the king has already proposed
twice to all the parties concerned -- one, to stop going on fighting; and
the second, to go to Beijing to his house and to have talks.
But unfortunately, for the time being, Hun Sen has rejected. I
have accepted. And the ASEAN will send their -- its special envoys to
see my father. And I think that the United Nations is thinking of sending
Mr. Akashi to Beijing as well.
Thank you very much.
QUESTION: In her recent trip to Southeast Asia, Secretary of
State Albright almost met you in Cambodia. Do you now think that that
would have been a good idea? And if so, under what circumstances?
And secondly, as far as China and your father, is this the time
for him to get involved? Or perhaps for him to (OFF-MIKE)?
RANARIDDH: You see, about the visit of Secretary of State
Albright, I -- at that time, I was really thinking that it would be very,
very useful -- very, very helpful -- because the (OFF-MIKE) was real, was
very strong.
*** Elapsed Time 00:26, Eastern Time 13:46 ***
The reason why that I didn't elect -- I let the Ambassador Quinn
of the United States of America know that I will accept to meet Secretary
of State Albright even in the airport. But somebody -- Hun Sen -- said
that -- No. It is question of protocol. We should not meet with the secretary
of state in (OFF-MIKE). She should come to the prime minister of first
and so on.
The facts, it appears now, that somebody Hun Sen did not want to
meet with Secretary of State Albright.
I think that I did want -- I wanted to meet with her because I
expected the secretary of state would deliver a very strong message of
warning to Hun Sen. But alas, we did not have any -- the possibility of
meeting with the secretary.
*** Elapsed Time 00:27, Eastern Time 13:47 ***
As far as China and my father is concerned, I have all the answer
to your question. I think that China is very discrete now about the present
crisis in Cambodia, but the time when my father would accept to play any
role in the trying to bring all the parties all together and to resolve
the crisis, I think that China will immediately support any initiative
coming from my father.
And as far as abdication is concerned, I think that I'm a very
fidel son. I think it is not good to talk about the abdication of the
father now and I do not have any intention to be the king. My intention
is to go back home as early as possible.
Thank you very much.
QUESTION: Welcome, Your Highness. The first question is (OFF-
MIKE) Cambodia, Japan has still (OFF-MIKE) the country.
*** Elapsed Time 00:28, Eastern Time 13:48 ***
Do you have (OFF-MIKE) Japan (OFF-MIKE) the United States stop
the aid immediately? And second question is -- whether you have any plans
to visit Tokyo and (OFF-MIKE)?
RANARIDDH: Thank you very much.
RANARIDDH: We are so grateful to Japan and to, in particular,
the prime minister, Hashimoto, of raising the Cambodian question during
the G-8 meeting and the Japanese and its people have been energetically
supported by France.
*** Elapsed Time 00:29, Eastern Time 13:49 ***
Therefore, we did have, in Cambodia, the standing of two special
envoys from Japan and from France. As far as the cutting of aid as Japan
is concerned, I have to tell you that Japan is the first country who has
decided to cut its aid to Phnom Penh right now. And the United States
of America is just following Japan, and not Japan following the United
States of America, the cut again, and secondly, you have to say that Germany
has decided to cut off aid to Phnom Penh as well. And so I think that
those are major powers, Japan, United States of America, and Germany, who
already decided to suspend their assistance to Phnom Penh.
*** Elapsed Time 00:30, Eastern Time 13:50 ***
Unless normality, we do have, we do go back to normality. Thank
you very much.
Do we have any -- the second question? I am not intending for
the time being to go to Tokyo, but after my ASEAN tour, I would like very
much to go to Tokyo and I hope that it will be able for me to meet with
Prime Minister Hashimoto again. Thank you very much.
QUESTION: When you met with the ASEAN envoy, what would you like
for Japan to do (OFF-MIKE)
RANARIDDH: Firstly, I have to go to Indonesia to pay my respects
to the president and to talk to him in his capacity or the capacity of
Indonesia as the co-chairman of the Paris Peace Accord, Paris conference.
*** Elapsed Time 00:31, Eastern Time 13:51 ***
And when I will be meeting with the special envoys coming from
ASEAN, I will talk to ASEAN in the same line. I ask ASEAN to maintain
its firm commitment, not to recognize any regime coming out from any coup
d'etat, to stick to the Paris accord, and to tell them that my door still
is widely open for talks but now -- I think that the ball is now inside
Mr. Hun Sen's court, and so it is up now to Mr. Hun Sen to put an end to
the suffering of his people or not.
*** Elapsed Time 00:32, Eastern Time 13:52 ***
I would like to tell you that Mr. Hun Sen does not hesitate, in
order to, you know, retain power, to use forces even if the use of force
caused hundreds, if not -- let's say hundreds of deaths among the innocent
civilian population. Thank you.
QUESTION: What if the negotiations fail? Are you prepared to
have your party fight?
RANARIDDH: I think that the priority must be political and
diplomatical struggle. And the second priority must be economic sanctions.
RANARIDDH: If those two options do not work, we have to think of
not fighting but resistance. But I don't want to talk about any fighting,
because I do believe that the people of Cambodia have suffered too much
for too many years for too long because of civil war.
*** Elapsed Time 00:33, Eastern Time 13:53 ***
I think that reasonably speaking as comrades, as leadership, we
should not talk about fighting, about civil war. Right now I think that
we have to do our best in order to resolve the present crisis before stepping
into any civil war, which is very destructive for my country again. Thank
you.
(UNKNOWN): Your Highness, thank you very much.
RANARIDDH: Thank you. Thank you. Have you noticed that I was,
my response was very short? It is very unusual. Thank you very much,
ladies and gentlemen. Thank you.
*** Elapsed Time 00:34, Eastern Time 13:54 ***
END
By
Hann, at 2:37 PM
Post a Comment
<< Home