Cambodia opposition, ruling party to resume talks

Cambodia’s ruling and opposition parties are preparing to resume negotiations aimed at ending the country’s political crisis following a hiatus for local council elections, party officials said Tuesday. Cambodia’s opposition leader Sam Rainsy said he had contacted Interior Minister Sar Kheng, the top negotiator for Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP), about plans to restart negotiations, which stalled in April amid disagreement on electoral reforms. “Today I contacted Sar Kheng to inform him that tomorrow our representatives will contact CPP officials to renew talks to seek solutions for the current political deadlock,” the Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) chief told RFA’s Khmer Service. A senior CPP official told RFA the party would welcome the invitation to new talks, which comes after elections for the country’s provincial, municipal, and district councils wrapped up Sunday, with the ruling party winning the most seats but the opposition gaining ground. …

 Rachel Vandenbrink
http://www.rfa.org/english/news/cambodia/talks-05202014170548.html