We’ll always have Paris

It may not be a milestone anniversary, but the significance of this day 22 years ago is something the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party wants everyone to remember when it begins its latest mass protest this morning, a spokesman said yesterday. …

From today until Friday, the CNRP plans to march at least 1,000 representatives to offices of the UN and to foreign embassies of countries that were signatories to the Paris Peace Agreements. …

A serious challenge for the CNRP, however, is that thus far, no foreign embassies have been willing to publicly back the opposition, and almost none have taken action that might keep the post-election momentum of CNRP leader Sam Rainsy going.

Australia and France, for instance, have already congratulated Hun Sen on victory. …

Even if embassies were to strongly support the CNRP’s position, they can only do so much, senior CPP lawmaker Cheam Yeap warned yesterday. …

Yeap questioned the CNRP’s strategy of linking its protest to the peace agreements, saying the “spirit of the Paris agreement – 97 per cent of it – was included in the 1993 Constitution”. …

Not everyone thinks it’s that simple. When former Australian Foreign Minister Gareth Evans, a significant player in the Paris process, spoke after King Father Norodom Sihanouk’s death last year, he lamented the difficulties Cambodia has faced since elections run by the UN Transitional Authority in Cambodia in 1993. …

It’s with this in mind that many can understand why Rainsy has sought audiences with Western donors and signatories to keep pushing for an investigation into election results, rather than accept the huge gains his party made.

Cambodian historian David Chandler said yesterday the CNRP’s “objection is legitimate”. …

 Shane Worrell
http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/we%E2%80%99ll-always-have-paris