Cambodia's ruling, opposition parties to resume talks over electoral reform next week

Representatives of Cambodia's ruling and opposition parties will meet next Tuesday to discuss about the establishment of a mechanism for an electoral reform, the Cambodia People's Party (CPP) said Saturday. "The ruling CPP sets 9:00 a.m. Feb. 18 as the date to meet and negotiate with the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) ,"a CPP's statement said. Prum Sokha, secretary of state at the Ministry of Interior, will lead the CPP negotiation team as lawmaker-elect Son Chhay will head the CNRP team for the upcoming negotiation. CNRP spokesman Yem Ponharith said it is a positive step toward solving the seven-month post-election dispute if the forthcoming talk produces fruitful results. "The CNRP will end boycott of parliament if the two sides agree on the establishment of a mechanism for an electoral reform and an early election,"he told Xinhua. Political dispute between Prime Minister Hun Sen's ruling party and the Sam Rainsy's opposition party has persisted since the July election results showed that the ruling party won 68 parliamentary seats against 55 seats for the opposition. Claiming serious irregularities, the opposition refused to accept the outcome and has boycotted parliament and held many protests -- some of which had turned violent --in order to demand the resignation of Hun Sen and a re-election. Hun Sen has said that he would neither step down nor call a re- vote. Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy met twice in September in a bid to resolve their political differences, but the talks failed to reach any agreement.