Diplomats Told Not to Interfere Or Support Opposition

Diplomats Told Not to Interfere Or Support Opposition
by Zsomber Peter
Source: The Cambodia Daily.
With the ruling CPP and opposition CNRP both claiming victory in Sunday's national election and official results pending, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs yesterday called on all foreign displomatic missions not to interfere in the country's internal affairs, and not to support the opposition.

In a brief statement, the Foreign Affairs Ministry mentioned no names but urged all countries not to back the CNRP.

"The spokesman of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation wouldl like to urge foreign diplomatic missions not to play a role to support the opposition party," it said.

"Without prejudice to their privileges and immunity, it is the duty of all persons enjoying such privileges and immunities to respect the laws and regulations of the receiving state," the ministry said.
"They also have a duty not to interfere in the internal affairs of the state," the ministry added.

The Foreigh ministry statement followed by the U.S. State department's call for an investigation into election day irregularities, which echoed a similar request by the CNRP. Japan, anther major donor to Cambodia, also backed calls for an investigation into irregularities in a statement yesterday.

While the U.S. and European Union have held back on a final assessment of the poll, China, a one-party state that does not have general elections, and Hugary are the only two countries thus far to expressly endorse the election as free, fair and transparent.

The International Conference of Asian Political Parties and Centrist Asia Pacific Democrats International, which sent 291 election observers at the request of NEC, and whose expenses were paid for by the govt, has done the same.