CAMBODIA'S ROYALIST PARTY LEADER RESIGNS FROM

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PHNOM PENH 000460 SIPDIS SIPDIS SENSITIVE STATE FOR EAP/MLS; GENEVA FOR RMA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL KDEM CB SUBJECT: CAMBODIA'S ROYALIST PARTY LEADER RESIGNS FROM NATIONAL ASSEMBLY PRESIDENCY Reftel: Phnom Penh 428 ¶1. (U) Summary: FUNCINEPC leader Prince Norodom Ranariddh resigned March 3 as the President of the National Assembly following Prime Minister Hun Sen's dismissal of two FUNCINPEC senior officials from the royal government (reftel). Soon after the resignation, the Prince told FUNCINPEC officials to continue cooperation with Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party (CPP). On March 6, FUNCINPEC denied reports that their officials would withdraw from the coalition government in protest. Ranariddh's newly nominated Secretary General is prompting further internal party grumblings about poor party leadership within FUNCINPEC. While the resignation was prompted in part by Hun Sen's reconciliation with the opposition, it is also a sign of the continuing decline of the royalist party that has relied on nostalgia rather than dynamic leadership for support. End summary. Prince Norodom Ranariddh Resigns -------------- ¶2. (U) Prince Norodom Ranariddh, President of the National Assembly and President of the royal FUNCINPEC party, said that his resignation as President of the National Assembly arose from his interest in having more time to strengthen FUNCINPEC as a political party, and not because of the PM's personal attacks on him. In a March 3 letter sent to Chea Sim and Hun Sen, President and Vice President of the CPP, respectively, Ranariddh said that his duties as President of the National Assembly compelled him to travel overseas extensively, as well as concentrate on the business of the National Assembly in Phnom Penh. The FUNCINPEC leader decided that he was rarely interacting with his supporters at the grassroots level. Therefore, he requested both CPP leaders to permit his resignation as the President of the National Assembly in order to strengthen and improve FUNCINPEC. Ranariddh's letter was later published in the local press. (Note: Ranariddh will still maintain his parliamentary seat as an MP for FUNCINPEC, despite withdrawing from the Presidency of the NA. End note.) ¶3. (U) Ranariddh's resignation came after Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen's March 2 announcement that the RGC would end the practice of Co-Ministers, which had been a political fixture since the 1993 elections (reftel). The Prime Minister announced his government would dismiss Co-Minister of Interior Norodom Sirivudh and Co-Minister of Defense Nhek Bunchhay, both of FUNCINPEC. Prime Minister Hun Sen warned in his remarks that his government would replace FUNCINPEC officials who walked out of the government and that the nomination of government officials would no longer be based on political quotas. Reaction to the Prince's Resignation -------------- ¶4. (U) The Cambodian public and Phnom Penh's political class were not surprised by the resignation announcement. Media reports note the CPP will nominate Heng Samrin, currently the first Vice President of the National Assembly, as Ranariddh's replacement; and CPP MP Nguon Nhel, currently the second Vice President, as the first Vice President. The second Vice Presidency would be offered to FUNCINPEC and would be offered to the SRP if FUNCINPEC declined. In March 6 remarks to the media, Heng Samrin said he expects to be approved as Ranariddh's replacement when the NA meets next week, and he will remove FUNCINPEC's Kim San as the Secretary General of the NA. SIPDIS ¶5. (U) Monh Saphan, FUNCINPEC MP for Kompong Cham, told the Embassy that since the National Assembly's approval of the 50 percent plus 1 constitutional amendment, FUNCINPEC has been powerless to prevent the CPP from doing whatever it wants, even if the CPP-FUNCINPEC agreement on the two-party cooperation is breached. He added that FUNCINPEC would even lose much more if the party withdrew from the coalition government. ¶6. (U) To underscore dissatisfaction with CPP's handling of the dismissal of FUNCINPEC officials, a pro-FUNCINPEC newspaper recently re-published the agreement on CPP- FUNCINPEC cooperation signed June 30, 2004 by Hun Sen and Ranariddh, that was to remain in force until the next national elections in 2008. The agreement stated that any government reshuffle, promotion or demotion of FUNCINPEC officials nominated by royal decree or sub-decree would PHNOM PENH 00000460 002 OF 002 require the prior approval of FUNCINEPC President Norodom Ranariddh. FUNCINPEC to Continue Cooperation with the CPP -------------- - ¶7. (SBU) On Saturday, March 4, Ranariddh met with senior FUNCINPEC officials and instructed them to maintain and continue the cooperation with the CPP. He warned against individual FUNCINPEC officials trying to create problems with the CPP over recent events. Por Bun Sreu, newly appointed as one of four Deputy Secretary Generals of FUNCINPEC said that during the meeting, FUNCINPEC officials agreed that they would not walk out of the government. Concerning Ranariddh's resignation from the National Assembly, Por Bun Sreu added the Prince planned to devote more time in preparation for the elections scheduled for 2007 and 2008. Ranariddh also announced that Prince Norodom Chakrapong would replace Norodom Sirivudh as the party's Secretary General, and the number of Deputy Secretary SIPDIS Generals would be reduced to just four: Chhim Seak Leng, Ung Huot, Tea Chamrath, and Por Bun Sreu. Por Bun Sreu said FUNCINPEC officials from the district and provincial levels met Sunday, March 5 and were apprised of the recent changes in the party's structure. FUNCINPEC's Problems Bigger than Ranariddh -------------- ¶8. (SBU) FUNCINPEC MP from Kampot province, Than Sina, told us on March 6 that FUNCINPEC has a number of leadership challenges to overcome if the party is to retain its supporters in upcoming elections. Ranariddh has been a failure as a leader, he noted, as have a number of other senior officials, including Sirivudh. He characterized them all as weak and interested only in womanizing and money. Than Sina criticized the appointment of Norodom Chakrapong, saying he had similar leadership shortcomings -- having driven the Cambodian airlines company he formerly managed into bankruptcy, and questioned his loyalty to the party. (Note: Chakrapong has a checkered political history including conflicts with Ranariddh. Chakrapong left FUNCINPEC at one time to join the CPP, was expelled from the CPP and rejoined FUNCINPEC, only later to leave the royalist party to start his own political party. End note.) Recently dismissed Co-Minister of Defense Nhek Bunchhay is also of questionable loyalty to the party, continued Than Sina. He accused Nhek Bunchhay of convincing Ranariddh to quit the Alliance of Democrats following the 2003 elections by orchestrating the deal between Ranariddh and Hun Sen that led to the current coalition government. ¶9. (SBU) Than Sina lamented that there were no obvious leaders within FUNCINPEC to revitalize the party. Such people have already left the party with Sam Rainsy, he noted. Asked if there might be further defections from FUNCINPEC, he offered that FUNCINPEC's factions are based on personalities and not principles or political ideologies. Most people have adopted a wait-and-see attitude and are unlikely to leave the party. FUNCINPEC remains attractive to some Cambodians who believe the royal family still has an important role in politics, who like King Sihamoni and respect the former King Sihanouk. If people do leave, those who have had ties with the CPP will go there; intellectuals like himself will likely shift to Sam Rainsy, said Than Sina. ¶10. (SBU) Comment. It is too soon to predict where FUNCINPEC will come out in light of the reconciliation between Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy, and the ongoing dismissal of FUNCINPEC officials from some government slots. Many observers question whether the royalist party can survive due to weak leadership and the decline of royalist enthusiasm with the retirement of former King Sihanouk. Without a forward-looking strategy, FUNCINPEC will have trouble appealing to a new generation of Cambodian voters who do not look at the monarchy with the same nostalgia as traditional FUNCINPEC supporters. However, it is unlikely that the old guard of FUNCINPEC will be able to develop such a strategy without fundamental changes in the way the party operates and under its current party leadership. STORELLA