Hun Sen Declared that He will Win the Upcoming Election

Hun Sen: "I will surely win the upcoming 2008 election."

29 Feb. 2008
By Kesor Ranniya
Radio Free Asia

Translated from Khmer to English by Khmerization
Courtesy of Khmerization : http://khmerization.blogspot.com/

Prime Minister yesterday told a conference at the Phnom Penh Hotel that he will surely win the upcoming election in July. Mr. Hun Sen said: “I will wait and see because I haven’t gone anywhere yet and I hope that I will win the election…”The speech was made in response to claims from many foreign diplomats who reminded him to spend the revenue from the natural resources wisely. But Mr. Hun Sen retorted that it is those diplomats who need to be cautious because they will still have to deal with him in the negotiations for oil explorations in the future.

Hun Sen Reminded About the Success of the Khmer PeoplePrime Minister Hun Sen has reminded people to learn about the history of works that have been successfully completed by his government. He also reminded about past achievements of the Khmer people that foreigners can not achieve and understand about his efforts, including his achievements during the UNTAC period.

The Prime Minister said: “Cambodia has the capacity since during the civil war. UNTAC has spent $2 billion dollars and left, leaving Cambodia with two separate administrative zones. Khieu Samphan and Son Sen went to negotiate with us in Pyongyang in 1995, 1994 and set the minimum conditions in lieu of the constitution. Please be informed! At that time, even His Majesty, especially the Cambodian patriarchs from various denominations such as Samdech Tep Vong, Samdech Bou Kry, Samdech Non Ngeth, Samdech Um Sum and Samdech Preah Maha Ghossananda proposed a ceasefire but Khieu Samphan and Son Sen rejected the proposal. They refused to stop fighting in 1994 and they are still bombastic about it.”

The prime minister has further revealed about the weaknesses of the UNTAC operations in the early 1990s. The prime minister said: “Even up until 1997 we still signed an alliance with one other party to form a coalition government but the fighting broke out in Phnom Penh because someone who was still forming a coalition government with us in Phnom Penh but they also signed an agreement with the jungle rebels to form a front. No one understood it. UNTAC cannot do anything. Even Gen. Sanderson, Mr. Akashi cannot enter Pailin. UNTAC cannot enter Pailin and so only got tough with those who respected the agreements. Those who didn’t respect the agreements they didn’t dare to do anything. After spending all the money they left, leaving the Khmers to fight each other. But we Khmers know how to unite.”