US Ambassador Calls for Election Investigation, NEC Reform

Repeating his country’s call for a transparent investigation into irregularities during the July 28 national election, the U.S. ambassador to Cambodia has urged the government to repair deficiencies in the electoral process. While some foreign governments have issued congratulatory messages to Prime Minister Hun Sen and the CPP after they immediately declared victory, the U.S. has yet to do so. The opposition CNRP has also claimed victory in the polls and has alleged massive fraud, calling for an independent investigation into the election. The U.S. State Department last week also called for a “credible” investigation into allegations of irregularities. … In his weekly column, printed in the leading Rasmei Kampuchea newspaper and posted to its English-language sister website on Sunday, Ambassador William Todd said the elections, which even by the ruling CPP’s own preliminary results saw massive gains by the CNRP, “offer a unique and historic opportunity to bring about significant positive political reforms.” … “A good starting point would be for the Royal Government to implement the important recommendations of the U.N. Special Rapporteur on Human Rights, such as correcting the voter registry and making the activities of the National Election Committee fully non-partisan and transparent.” …

 The Cambodia Daily
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/elections/us-ambassador-calls-for-election-investigation-nec-reform-38282/