Cambodian PM vows to maintain peace amid dispute

PHNOM PENH - Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen on Monday vowed to continue maintaining peace and political stability, saying that these factors are the fundamental elements for social and economic development.

"The government does not allow any reactionary forces to hold the country hostage," he said at a graduation ceremony of students in the National University of Management.

The premier said that to date all state institutions including the National Assembly, the Senate, the Government and the King's institution have functioned regularly and normally despite the opposition's boycott of parliament after the general election in July last year.

Cambodia has been trapped in political row since the election results showed that the ruling party won 68 parliamentary seats and the opposition party got the remaining 55 seats.

Claiming serious irregularities, the opposition refused to accept the outcome and has boycotted parliament and held many protests - some of them had turned violent - in order to demand the resignation of Hun Sen and a re-election.

Hun Sen said he would neither step down nor call a re-vote.

Sam Rainsy, president of the opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party, left Cambodia on Jan 23 to Europe to seek foreign help. He wrote on his Facebook page on Sunday that he would return to Cambodia Monday evening.

The leaders of the two parties met twice in September in a bid to resolve their political differences, but failed to reach any agreement.