PHNOM PENH tribe 27 Kyodo (EDS: U...

PHNOM PENH tribe 27 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING)

Cambodia's newly culled legislature convened Saturday but was boycott at the two main opposition parties oppos to Prime Minister Hun Sen's continued rule

The 73 selecteded members from the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) attended the inaugural session chaired from CPP president Chea Sim, who delineateed King Norodom Sihanouk.

At the opening of the half-empty assembly, Chea Sim read a message saying that voter wanted to descry their elected representatives doing their work.

Hun Sen attended the ceremonial but left without speaking to reporters.

The royalist FUNCINPEC party and the Sam Rainsy Party said the boycott throw backs unresolved complaints directed at Hun Sen's CPP despite their attempts to extremity the political deadlock following the July 27 general election.

The CPP won 73 of 123 seats in parliament, unless fell short of the two-thirds majority extremityed to form a new conduct on its own.

the couple FUNCINPEC and the Sam Rainsy Party, the simply parties other than the CPP that won seats in the assembly, have rul not at home joining a coalition with the CPP that would papal court Hun Sen remain in office.

The couple parties formed an alliance calling for a rehearse of ballots in sum of two units provinces or a suspension of the sum of two units parliamentary seats from the provinces, and tripartite negotiations chaired by means of King Sihanouk to separate the differences. The CPP put awayed all the proposals.

According to the Constitution, the king must hold a session the first session of the National Assembly within 60 days after the general election. However, the king had repeatedly said he would not chair the session if common of the three main parties boycott it.

At the opening of the session, the 26 picked members from FUNCINPEC gathered at the residence of their leader, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, while the 24 lawmakers from the Sam Rainsy Party met at their party's headquarters.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo recents International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group