Rainsy writes to King over letter to Assembly

Opposition leader Sam Rainsy has written to King Norodom Sihamoni responding to, and appearing to rebuke, a letter from the King that was read aloud at the National Assembly earlier this week. The National Assembly on Tuesday convened its second plenary session after a three-month break, with Heng Samrin, the president of the CPP-only assembly, reading aloud King Sihamoni’s message. In the letter, the King says he hopes the National Assembly, “which represents the entire Khmer people,” will take on the challenges it faces by “strictly adhering to a democratic and multiparty basis.” In a response dated Wednesday, Mr. Rainsy appeared to disagree with the King’s assessment. “As president of the Cambodia National Rescue Party, which represents at least three million people, I want the King to know that now the National Assembly…only has representatives from the Cambodian People’s Party: It is not representative of the entire Khmer people,” Mr. Rainsy wrote. … Mr. Rainsy also said in his letter this week that the National Assembly is illegitimate, claiming that Article 76 of the Constitution requires the swearing-in of 120 lawmakers to constitute a new mandate. The opposition leader notes former King Norodom Sihanouk’s refusal to preside over the convening of the National Assembly during the extended political deadlock after the 2003 national election. …

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http://www.cambodiadaily.com/news/rainsy-writes-to-king-over-letter-to-assembly-55753/