King directly hands invition letter to rival leaders to kick off the first parliementary meeting
By Ranak / Cambodia News
Phnom Penh (Sept 14, 2013): After a close door and rush meeting at the Royal Palace under chairmanship of King Norodom Sihamoni on Saturday, the two rival political parties — Prime Minister Hun Sen’s Cambodian People’s Party (CPP) and Sam Rainsy’s Cambodian National Rescue Party (CNRP) have received invitation letters from the King’s invitation to kick off the first meeting of the National Assembly in the next two weeks.
Although no official or spokesperson of both CPP and CNRP as well the Royal Place told reporters waiting outside the palace on the result of the meeting, a source told Cambodia News & New Youth that the about haft an hour meeting has been fruitful and His Majesty the King informed the two delegates that he invited all 123 new members of the parliament (MP) to gather for the first national assembly meeting on Sept 23, 2013. The King then handed Hun Sen 68 invitation letters and Sam Rainsy 55 invitation letters. Both Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy got the letters although Sam Rainsy and his colleagues looked a bit hesitated, the source who asked not to be named added.
On his facebook wall, Information Minister and Government Spokesperson Khieu Kanharith urged that the 123 new MP had to go for work and that Sam Rainsy had to stop provoking chaos in the society.
Cambodia has been in political crisis between the ruling and opposition parties since July 28 national election. CPP wins 68 out of 123 parliamentary seats and CNRP gets 55 seats.
The CNRP has rejected the results saying that its party’s results have been stolen and alleged National Election Committee (NEC) as the thief who helped steal the election results for CPP.
On Friday, an explosive device with TNT powder was found at the opposite of the National Assembly while three M79 grenade launchers were finding near the US embassy and the Freedom Park.
CNRP called for mass demonstration at the Freedom Park near the US embassy until the problems are solved and last weekend, about 20 thousands of CNRP supporters gathered at the Freedom Park in Phnom Penh, near the US embassy, for peaceful rally and CNRP will hold another rally next.