PHNOM PENH (Cambodia Herald) - A senior official from the Norodom Ranariddh Party has asked Prince Norodom Ranariddh to take a temporary break from politics to allow a reunification with Funcinpec to go ahead.
Sao
Rany, secretary general of the royalist party, said he and six deputy
secretaries general sent a letter Monday to former King Norodom Sihanouk
about the reunification plans.
“I
want to ask him, Norodom Ranariddh, to take a break from politics to
let me coordinate with Funcinpec to form a coalition," he said. "We
will get him back as president after being united. If we don’t do that,
there's no way out.
"I want the two parties to merge and to make sure the process goes well while avoiding internal conflicts," Sao Rany said.
In
his reply to Sao Rany, the prince, who was ousted as Funcinpec leader
in 2006, said the proposed merger "really reflected my will.
"I
have given up and fought against everything to get coordination and
support from Prime Minister Hun Sen to reach the joint signing in May.
So the two parties could not merge, not because of me as you already know
who caused the split.
"You
can coordinate with whoever as this is your private right, but I
strongly prohibit the use of my name and the party's name ... I will not
recognize any outcomes from meetings between you and other people."
