Officials of the ruling Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) and the
opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) on November 5 resumed
talks over the political dispute after the July’s election.
Speaking at a joint news briefing after the three-hour meeting, head
of the CPP working group, Secretary of State at the Interior Ministry
Prum Sokha, and CNRP’s spokesman Yeam Sovan said the two sides discussed
issues that were agreed by CPP Vice-President cum Prime Minister Hun
Sen and CNRP leader Sam Rainsy during their talks on November 16-17.
The CPP and CNRP working groups said that they will meet again sometimes this weekend.
Cambodia held a general election on July 28. The results
showed that the ruling CPP won 68 out of the 123 parliamentary seats and
the CNRP got 55 seats.
Despite a boycott of parliament by the opposition, the ruling party’s 68
lawmakers voted on September 24 for the formation of a new government
under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Sam Rainsy has said that the current government is “illegitimate”
because it was formed in a violation of the constitution and his party
will continue to boycott parliament unless the poll irregularities are
resolved.
But Prime Minister Hun Sen has
defended that his government is legitimate since the nation’s King
Norodom Sihamoni had already given endorsement.
The international community has called on the two sides to continue
negotiations to deal with the election disputes in order to put the
legislative and executive bodies into normal operation.-VNA