Cambodia's co-ruling Funcinpec Party to elect PM candidate

As the 2008 national election approaches, the co-ruling Funcinpec Party has announced that it will hold a two-day national congress from Oct. 18-19 to prepare its leadership structure and political programs and elect its candidate for prime minister, local media reported Wednesday.

"We will organize the party's national council congress on Oct. 18, which is the first anniversary of the party reform," said Funcinpec Secretary General Nhiek Bun Chhay, reported Cambodian- language newspaper the Rasmei Kampuchea.

Chhay also claimed that, during the October 18 event, which will be held at Olympic stadium, the party will also announce reform of the party national council, consisting of between 2,600 and 2,700 members from all levels of the royalist party, and will decide whether to extend the membership of the party's steering committee from 53 to 70, reported another Cambodian-language newspaper the Khmer Mekong News.

The party will also declare its candidate for prime minister for the 2008 national election. All three candidates, Princess Norodom Arun Rasmy, Princess Norodom Vichara and Prince Norodom Sirivudh, are from the blue-blooded Norodom branch of the royal family, reported another Cambodian-language newspaper the Khmer Machas Srok News.

Funcinpec spokesman Nov Savathero said that only princes and princesses who are popular and have good relations with the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) would be nominated as premiership candidates for the royalist party.

Princess Arun Rasmy, wife of Funcinpec president Keo Puth Rasmey, is in a strong position as she has never had any disputes with the CPP, reported the Khmer Machas Srok News.