Body of ex-king arrives in Cambodia

Thousands of mourners line the streets in Phnom Penh

The body of Cambodia's late King Norodom Sihanouk returned to his homeland on a plane from China on Wednesday, welcomed by tens of thousands of mourners who packed tree-lined roads in the Southeast Asian nation's capital ahead of the royal funeral.

Chinese President Hu Jintao and Premier Wen Jiabao bid their final farewells to Sihanouk on Wednesday, during a farewell ceremony held in Beijing.

Hu expressed his "deepest grief" over the death of Sihanouk on behalf of the Chinese government and people, saying Cambodia has lost an outstanding leader, while China has lost a great friend.

Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo, who escorted the coffin on behalf of the Chinese government to Cambodia, arrived aboard the same plane.

Sihanouk, 90, died on Monday of a heart attack in Beijing, where he had been receiving medical treatment since January.

Before his departure from the country he described as his "second homeland", Sihanouk's coffin was transported through Beijing in a bus decorated with yellow ribbons and flowers, as flags flew at half-mast on Tian'anmen Square in his honor.

His son and successor, King Norodom Sihamoni, had traveled with Prime Minister Hun Sen to Beijing this week to retrieve the body. Both men accompanied the royal casket as it returned to Cambodia on Wednesday on his final journey home.

En route to Phnom Penh, Dai expressed his condolences and sympathy to Queen-Mother Norodom Monineath Sihanouk, King Sihamoni and Hun Sen over the death of retired King Sihanouk.

According to Dai, Sihanouk had made historic contributions to the growth of Sino-Cambodian relations and holds a special place in the hearts of the Chinese people.

Even in his last years, Sihanouk still took care of China's development. Dai recalled how he accompanied then 86-year-old Sihanouk at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympic Games in 2008.

In recent years, he said, Sihanouk made donations time and time again when China was hit by natural disasters. As late as last month, the late king donated to quake-stricken areas in southwestern China.

Dai said that the Chinese people will always remember his deeds carry forward the Sino-Cambodian friendship nurtured and cultivated by King-Father Sihanouk and Chinese leaders.

The former monarch was the last surviving Southeast Asian leader who pioneered his nation through postwar independence. He served as prime minister and twice as king before abdicating the throne for good in 2004.

After arriving in Phnom Penh, the casket was then driven from the airport to the Royal Palace, where it will lie in state for three months, during which time the public can pay respects before it is cremated according to Buddhist ritual.

Cambodians of all ages -wearing white shirts and black ribbons - clasped their hands together in prayer as the procession passed. Many wept at the sight of Sihanouk's coffin passing en route to the royal palace.

"It's a sad day for the Cambodian people. The King-Father loved his children very much," said Theng Nary, 67, tears rolling down her cheeks.

The government estimated that more than 100,000 people turned out to witness the homecoming of the charismatic former monarch, who remained popular even after standing down in favor of his son.

Crowds of mourners had already begun to gather in a park outside the royal palace to mark the final homecoming of the man known as the "King-Father", and began a week of official mourning.

"I hope to see the royal body, I want to see his face one last time," said Mean Pichavisa, 16, as he sat outside the palace. "I will remember this day until I die."

AP-Xinhua-AFP