November 7, 1997

PRESS RELEASE

COMMUNIQUÉ OF H.E. SAMDECH HUN SEN
THE SECOND PRIME MINISTER OF CAMBODIA
(TOKYO, NOVEMBER 7, 1997)

During his medical check-up in Tokyo, Japan, Second Prime Minister of Cambodia, H.E. Samdech Hun Sen, held discussions with Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, H.E. Foreign Minster Keizo Obuchi, H.E. Finance Minister Hiroshi Mitsuzuka, members of Diet and the Government of Japan, and other Political personalities. In the discussions, Samdech Hun Sen briefed the Japanese side the recent development of politics, security and economics of Cambodia. Particularly, during a press conference on November 7, Samdech Hun Sen issued the following communiqué.

1. After the armed clashes, ignited in July by the extremists in collusion with the Khmer Rouge, the Royal Government has taken all necessary measures to strengthen political stability, social order, to safeguard and maintain the gain of the Paris Peace Agreement and the 1993 elections. It also strove to maintain macro-economy, to curb the inflation, and to keep the reform process of economics, administration and the army, promoting the process of democracy and the respects of human rights, building up a political atmosphere of neutrality and security for a free, fair and just elections due on May 23, 1998. To achieve all these major goals, the Royal Government has brought forth fundamental positive changes.
   
   While political parties inside the country are resuming their activities and the returned members of National assembly and Government, and politicians confirmed the normalcy of all the institutions, the National Assembly adopted already the Law on Political Parties and is debating on the Electoral Law. The first meeting of the Supreme Council of the Magistracy, prerequisite for the formation of the Constitutional Council will soon convene. These are all the required legal frameworks and organizations to secure a democratic and pluralistic election and to strengthen the state ruled by law.
   
   In order to have the elections participated by as many political parties as possible, and taking into consideration the political life of a small number of exiled members of the National Assembly and Government, the two Prime Ministers of the Cambodian Royal Government, on October 22, 1997, sent a letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations assuring the safety be guaranteed for their returns to political life and participation in the elections. As for its part, the Government guarantees respect of their parliamentary immunities and other political leaders' freedom from arrest and detention in respect of acts done and words spoken prior to their return, and thereafter in respect of acts and words committed in connection with their electoral activities.
   
   With an independent electoral mechanism, from top to the bottom, along with national and international observers to be coordinated by the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Phnom Penh, the Royal Government would like to re-ascertain that in a political atmosphere of neutrality and security all politicians would be free from threats and intimidation for their political and electoral performances, especially their freedom for movement, expression and electoral campaign which are inscribed in the Constitution, the Law on Political Parties, and the Electoral Law.
   
   The result from such a carefully organized elections would be acceptable to all political parties. The CCP, currently part of the National Assembly and the Coalition Government, declared solemnly in its October 1997 Central Committee's Plenum that it would fully recognize the result of the elections.
   
2. As far as the case of Samdech Krom Preah Norodom Ranariddh is concerned, it is now within the competency of the court of law. He is now under the charges of illegal import of weapons, the negotiation and the dispatch into Phnom Penh of the outlawed Khmer Rouge which caused tragedy for the Cambodian people in last July 1997.
   
   "Ranariddh committed acts against the law prior to leaving the country. So it is quite different from the case of other members of National Assembly and Government." The court of law is independent. Therefore, the Royal Government could not assure for Samdech Krom Preah Norodom Ranariddh that the trial be held or not, or that he would be convicted or not. In case the trial is carried out with the verdict that Ranariddh is really convicted and if Ranariddh requests amnesty from the King, then I, in my capacity as one of the Prime Ministers of the Royal Government, would not object to the said process.
   
   The 1993 Constitution of the Kingdom of Cambodia entitles only (and only) the King to provide amnesty or reduce a sentence for the culprit. My non-objection and support to the amnesty to be provided to Norodom Ranariddh stem from my spirit of respect of the Constitution, national reconciliation, humanity and in the common interest to build a nation of liberal democratic pluralism and a state ruled by law.
   
3. With the situation in Cambodia now returns to normal, H.E. Samdech Second Prime Minister, on behalf of the Royal Government of Cambodia, requests the Japanese Government to continue to provide the committed assistance and to consider new assistance for Cambodia for its coming election and to encourage Japanese investments and tourists to go to Cambodia.
   
   Samdech Second Prime Minster expresses his profound gratitude to the Japanese Government and friends for their assistance to the Cambodian people in the past, at present, and in the future.
   
   Samdech Second Prime Minister also expresses his deep thanks to the Japanese friends for the opportunity provided to him to have again a medical check-up in the famous hospital of Tokyo.