Cambodian Politicians Reach Deal to End Deadlock: Timing of Next Elections Is Agreed

By SUN NARIN 
The Wall Street Journal
Updated July 22, 2014 

PHNOM PENH, Cambodia—Cambodia's government and opposition said on Tuesday they have agreed on a compromise to share power that will end a deadlock of nearly a year in the national legislature.

Prime Minister Hun Sen and Sam Rainsy, leader of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, agreed on the composition of the main panel that will oversee legislative work at the National Assembly. They also agreed on the timing of the next elections.

The two sides also agreed to overhaul the nation's main institutions, the two men said after a five-hour meeting. They didn't specify what those institutions are.

The meeting was "a success. [We can] hold hands to work," Mr. Hun Sen said after his meeting with Mr. Rainsy.

"The best choice is to end political deadlock and to end tensions," Mr. Rainsy said after the meeting.

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Cambodian opposition-party leader Sam Rainsy, left, and Prime Minister Hun Sen, right, after their meeting in Phnom Penh. Reuters

Mr. Hun Sen has been in power in Cambodia for nearly three decades. A strong showing by Mr. Rainsy's opposition party in July 2013 elections has posed the biggest challenge yet to Mr. Hun Sen's regime.

Mr. Hun Sen's Cambodian People's Party won 68 seats in the 123-member National Assembly, and Mr. Rainsy's party won the remaining 55 seats.

Mr. Rainsy's party accused the ruling party of intimidating voters and of rigging the elections. The opposition party boycotted the National Assembly; its 55 members refused to take the oath of office. The opposition also demanded fresh elections, but the national election committee denied that request.

The two parties must now seek an audience with King Norodom Sihamoni to inform him of their pact.

Asked when his legislators will join parliament, Mr. Rainsy said: "We don't know. We have to meet the king and take the oath."

Under terms of the agreement, the main Permanent Committee of the National Assembly will have seven members from the ruling party and six from the opposition. The president and one deputy president of the National Assembly will be from the ruling party, while the opposition will name the first deputy president.

The chiefs of nine standing commissions, including human rights, banking, defense and foreign affairs, have been part of the Permanent Committee. One new standing commission, to counter corruption, is being created, and the leader of that commission will also join the Permanent Committee. The opposition and ruling party will each name five chiefs of the 10 standing commissions.

Separately, the parties agreed to form a new national election committee and advance elections by a few months to February 2018. The nine-member panel to ensure free and fair elections will comprise four members from the ruling party, four from opposition parties, and one consensus candidate.

Mr. Rainsy returned to Cambodia on Saturday from France. He was greeted by hundreds of supporters and promised to kick-start top-level negotiations with the ruling party in a bid to solve the political crisis and free eight of his colleagues who had been arrested on charges of insurrection. The eight opposition-party officials were released on bail Tuesday after Mr. Hun Sen and Mr. Rainsy met.