Cambodia's Elections Were Fair

Contrary to the Post's Aug. 8 editorial, Ung Huot, Cambodia's minister of foreign affairs and a longtime ally of Prince Ranariddh, was elected first prime minister in a legitimate, democratic procedure that included the use of a secret ballot.

Here are the facts: In the 1993 election, FUNCINPEC, the party of Prince Ranariddh, won 58 seats in the 120-member National Assembly. As the party winning the most seats, FUNCIPEC got the right to appoint the first prime minister with the approval of the king and two-thirds of the National Assembly. FUNCINPEC chose Prince Ranariddh. The party also has the right to replace officeholders through the same procedure.

In late July of this year, the party's steering committee nominated Ung Huot to be first prime minister and sent his name to the National Assembly for approval.

Of the 58 elected FUNCINPEC members of the assembly, 43 participated in the secret-ballot election of Ung Huot.

Further, a majority of all the FUNCINPEC members of the National Assembly voted for Ung Huot. Otherwise he would not have had such a large margin of victory: 86 in favor, 10 against or abstaining three spoiled ballots.

The steering committee nomination, the National Assembly vote and King Sihanouk's agreement to allow the replacement of his son as first prime minister through the acting head of state, Chea Sim, democratically restores the elected government of Cambodia with FUNCINPEC retaining control of the office of first prime minister.

Fifteen members of the FUNCINPEC boycotted the National Assembly election, and one Cambodian People's Party member was absent due to sickness. Even if all these members showed up and voted against Ung Huot, he would have won the election by more than the required two-thirds majority.

Fear and intimidation did not determine the outcome of the secret ballot. Seventy-four percent of the FUNCINPEC members of the National Assembly, including many who left the country during the fighting took part in the secret balloting. This included at least three Cambodian Americans. These members of FUNCINPEC live in Cambodia and work in the party and government every day without fear or intimidation.

The remaining small minority of FUNCINPEC continues to boycott the assembly in an attempt to force the government to negotiate with Prince Ranariddh, who has been discredited by collaboration with the outlawed Pol Pot faction of the Khmer Rouge. When they return to Cambodia, Prince Ranariddh and his two top military advisers will have to face trial for the crimes of which they are accused.

More than 35 officers, including three generals, have been arrested for human rights offenses during and after the fighting. No government can be responsible for the acts of all its military officers all the time, but I can say with assurance that Cambodia will use the rule of law to punish or exonerate those accused of human rights crimes and protect the political and human rights of all its citizens to the best of its abilities.

Var Huoth, Ambassador

Embassy of Cambodia, Washington