US, Australia Continue Call For Credible Election Inquiry

In the wake of an announcement by the National Election Committee (NEC) that it has completed its investigation into election irregularities, the U.S. and Australian embassies in Phnom Penh on Monday continued to call for an independent and transparent inquiry into the results of the July 28 election. “We still say that an investigation into irregularities needs to happen. The outcome of these electoral disputes needs to be something that Cambodian people as a whole will be happy with,” said Sean McIntosh, spokesman for the U.S. Embassy. The Australian Embassy in Phnom Penh also said that it supports further investigations into irregularities alleged to have taken place during the national election. … Jean-Francois Cautain, the European Union’s (E.U.) ambassador to Cambodia, declined to comment Monday on whether the E.U. supported further investigation into irregularities. … According to John Ciorciari, a Cambodia expert at the Uni­versity of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, international donors would be unlikely to risk their relations with Cambodia over the government’s failure to cooperate in an election investigation. “Beyond public and private exhortation, the main levers for immediate U.S. and E.U. influence are cuts to foreign aid. That is a card neither the U.S. nor E.U. is keen to play unless they believe the cuts will precipitate a serious inquiry and possibly lead to significant CPP concessions or even a re-vote leading to a possible change in power,” Mr. Ciorciari said. According to John Ciorciari, a Cambodia expert at the Uni­versity of Michigan’s Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy, international donors would be unlikely to risk their relations with Cambodia over the government’s failure to cooperate in an election investigation. “Beyond public and private exhortation, the main levers for immediate U.S. and E.U. influence are cuts to foreign aid. That is a card neither the U.S. nor E.U. is keen to play unless they believe the cuts will precipitate a serious inquiry and possibly lead to significant CPP concessions or even a re-vote leading to a possible change in power,” Mr. Ciorciari said. …

 Colin Meyn
http://www.cambodiadaily.com/elections/us-australia-continue-call-for-credible-election-inquiry-40185/