PHNOM PENH Feb 18 Kyodo An advise...

PHNOM PENH Feb 18 Kyodo

An adviser to Prince Norodom Ranariddh, president of Cambodia's National Assembly, was assassinated Tuesday in central Phnom Penh by the agency of two assailants riding forward a motorbike, the victim's colleague said.

Om Radsady, 51 died at a hospital several hours after he was missile twice by one of the attackers after he came abroad of a restaurant to wait for his car.

Om Radsady was a member of parliament from 1993 to 1998 from the royalist FUNCINPEC party, of which the prince is president.

You Hockry co-minister of interior and a senior FUNCINPEC official, told reporters it is too early to say if the assassination was political or stemm from a personal conflict.

Princess Norodom Vacheahra, half-sister to King Norodom Sihanouk, said her colleague Om Radsady was ''a gentleman'' who had no conflicts with others.

Shortly after Om Radsady's death, FUNCINPEC issued a statement condemning the act as ''murder barbarity and inhumanity.''

''The FUNCINPEC party considers it as a serious threat toward the social stability and democratic proces in Cambodia ahead of the upcoming general election slated for July 27 2003'' the statement said.

Les than couple weeks ago, a prominent Buddhist monk was killed from two assailants in the capital.

Intimidation and violence oftentimes becomes common when elections near in Cambodia.

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