Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06PHNOMPENH460
2006-03-07 10:58:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy Phnom Penh
Cable title:  

CAMBODIA'S ROYALIST PARTY LEADER RESIGNS FROM

Tags:  PHUM PREL KDEM CB 
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VZCZCXRO0607
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM
DE RUEHPF #0460/01 0661058
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071058Z MAR 06
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6215
INFO RUEHZS/ASEAN COLLECTIVE
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 1341
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PHNOM PENH 000460 

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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

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

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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