Cambodia’s embassy in France said in an April 18 clarification that refusing to allow Sam Rainsy to attend a gathering of Cambodian associations in Paris was not based on political affiliation, but was intended to avoid association with a person who had been convicted. The embassy said it was responding to allegations by some individuals that it considered unfounded.
The statement said the embassy was an official state institution representing the nation and serving national interests and all Cambodians living and working in France, without discrimination based on political affiliation, skin colour or religion. Explaining the exclusion, it said official state institutions and state representatives could not cooperate with or confer official recognition on a “convicted person”. The embassy said courts had convicted him of serious offences including conspiracy to commit treason, attempted coup and insulting the King.
Some earlier claims alleged that the refusal to let Sam Rainsy attend the Paris community event showed that the embassy represented a political party rather than the nation and Cambodian citizens. The embassy rejected those claims in its statement, describing them as unsubstantiated attempts to discredit it and divide national unity.
By ង៉ែត ពិសាន្ត
