SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS ON CAMBODIAN LEADERS TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES THROUGH DIALOGUE, PREVENT FURTHER VIOLENCE
Press Release
SG/SM/6695
SECRETARY-GENERAL CALLS ON CAMBODIAN LEADERS TO RESOLVE DIFFERENCES THROUGH DIALOGUE, PREVENT FURTHER VIOLENCE
19980910 The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary- General Kofi Annan:The Secretary-General is following very closely and with deep concern developments in Cambodia, in particular the weekend's events, including the grenade attack on the residence of Hun Sen, Sam Rainsy's taking refuge in the Office of the Secretary-General's Personal Representative in Cambodia (OSGPRC), and the forcible dispersal of demonstrations and sit-ins. As of this morning, Sam Rainsy was still in that office. The Secretary-General regrets the loss of life in these events.
The Secretary-General wishes once again to call on all Cambodian leaders to resolve their differences through dialogue. The Secretary-General had written as recently as Wednesday, 2 September to Hun Sen and Ung Huot jointly, as well as to Prince Ranariddh and Sam Rainsy separately. In those letters, the Secretary-General strongly urged all Cambodian leaders to exercise utmost restraint so as to prevent any further outbreak of violence.
The Secretary-General wishes to remind the Cambodian authorities of the letter addressed to him on 22 October 1997 by Ung Huot and Second Prime Minister Hun Sen, in which they pledged to guarantee the freedom of political leaders from arrest and detention in respect of acts and words spoken in connection with political activities relating to the elections.
The Secretary-General, through his Personal Representative in Cambodia, Lakhan Mehrotra, remains ready to assist Cambodia in finding a solution acceptable to all and consistent with democratic practice.
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