Keep Us Strong WikiLeaks logo

Currently released so far... 97115 / 251,287

Articles

Browse latest releases

Browse by creation date

Browse by origin

A B C D F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Y Z

Browse by tag

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z
ETRD EAGR ETTC EAID ECON EFIN ECIN EINV ELAB EAIR ENRG EPET EWWT ECPS EIND EMIN ELTN EC ETMIN EUC EZ ET ELECTIONS ENVR EU EUN EG EINT ER ECONOMICS ES EMS ENIV EEB EN ECE ECOSOC EK ENVIRONMENT EFIS EI EWT ENGRD ECPSN EXIM EIAD ERIN ECPC EDEV ENGY ECTRD EPA ESTH ECCT EINVECON ENGR ERTD EUR EAP EWWC ELTD EL EXIMOPIC EXTERNAL ETRDEC ESCAP ECO EGAD ELNT ECONOMIC ENV ETRN EIAR EUMEM ENRGPARMOTRASENVKGHGPGOVECONTSPLEAID EREL ECOM ECONETRDEAGRJA ETCC ETRG ECONOMY EMED ETR ENERG EITC EFINOECD EURM EENG ERA EXPORT ENRD ECONEINVETRDEFINELABETRDKTDBPGOVOPIC EGEN EBRD EVIN ETRAD ECOWAS EFTA ECONETRDBESPAR EGOVSY EPIN EID ECONENRG EDRC ESENV ETT EB ENER ELTNSNAR ECHEVARRIA ETRC EPIT EDUC ESA EFI ENRGY ESCI EE EAIDXMXAXBXFFR EETC ECIP EIAID EIVN EBEXP ESTN EING EGOV ETRA EPETEIND ELAN ETRDGK EAIDRW ETRDEINVECINPGOVCS EPEC ENVI ELN EAG EPCS EPRT EPTED ETRB EUM EAIDS EFIC EFINECONEAIDUNGAGM EAIDAR ESF EIDN ELAM EDU EV EAIDAF ECN EDA EXBS EINTECPS ENRGTRGYETRDBEXPBTIOSZ EPREL EAC EINVEFIN ETA EAGER EINDIR ECA ECLAC ELAP EITI EUCOM ECONEFINETRDPGOVEAGRPTERKTFNKCRMEAID EARG ELDIN EINVKSCA ENNP EFINECONCS EFINTS ECCP ETC EAIRASECCASCID EINN ETRP EAIDNI EFQ ECOQKPKO EGPHUM EBUD ECONEINVEFINPGOVIZ ENERGY ELB EINDETRD EMI ECONEFIN EIB EURN ETRDEINVTINTCS EIN EFIM ETIO ELAINE EMN EATO EWTR EIPR EINVETC ETTD ETDR EIQ ECONCS EPPD ENRGIZ EISL ESPINOSA ELEC EAIG ESLCO EUREM ENTG ERD EINVECONSENVCSJA EEPET EUNCH ECINECONCS ETRO ETRDECONWTOCS ECUN EFND EPECO EAIRECONRP ERGR ETRDPGOV ECPN ENRGMO EPWR EET EAIS EAGRE EDUARDO EAGRRP EAIDPHUMPRELUG EICN ECONQH EVN EGHG ELBR EINF EAIDHO EENV ETEX ERNG ED
KMDR KPAO KPKO KJUS KCRM KGHG KFRD KWMN KDEM KTFN KHIV KGIC KIDE KSCA KNNP KHUM KIPR KSUM KISL KIRF KCOR KRCM KPAL KWBG KN KS KOMC KSEP KFLU KPWR KTIA KSEO KMPI KHLS KICC KSTH KMCA KVPR KPRM KE KU KZ KFLO KSAF KTIP KTEX KBCT KOCI KOLY KOR KAWC KACT KUNR KTDB KSTC KLIG KSKN KNN KCFE KCIP KGHA KHDP KPOW KUNC KDRL KV KPREL KCRS KPOL KRVC KRIM KGIT KWIR KT KIRC KOMO KRFD KUWAIT KG KFIN KSCI KTFIN KFTN KGOV KPRV KSAC KGIV KCRIM KPIR KSOC KBIO KW KGLB KMWN KPO KFSC KSEAO KSTCPL KSI KPRP KREC KFPC KUNH KCSA KMRS KNDP KR KICCPUR KPPAO KCSY KTBT KCIS KNEP KFRDCVISCMGTCASCKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KNNB KGCC KINR KPOP KMFO KENV KNAR KVIR KDRG KDMR KFCE KNAO KDEN KGCN KICA KIMMITT KMCC KLFU KMSG KSEC KUM KCUL KMNP KSMT KCOM KOMCSG KSPR KPMI KRAD KIND KCRP KAUST KWAWC KTER KCHG KRDP KPAS KITA KTSC KPAOPREL KWGB KIRP KJUST KMIG KLAB KTFR KSEI KSTT KAPO KSTS KLSO KWNN KPOA KHSA KNPP KPAONZ KBTS KWWW KY KJRE KPAOKMDRKE KCRCM KSCS KWMNCI KESO KWUN KPLS KIIP KEDEM KPAOY KRIF KGICKS KREF KTRD KFRDSOCIRO KTAO KJU KWMNPHUMPRELKPAOZW KEN KO KNEI KEMR KKIV KEAI KWAC KRCIM KWCI KFIU KWIC KCORR KOMS KNNO KPAI KBWG KTTB KTBD KTIALG KILS KFEM KTDM KESS KNUC KPA KOMCCO KCEM KRCS KWBGSY KNPPIS KNNPMNUC KWN KERG KLTN KALM KCCP KSUMPHUM KREL KGH KLIP KTLA KAWK KWMM KVRP KVRC KAID KSLG KDEMK KX KIF KNPR KCFC KFTFN KTFM KPDD KCERS KMOC KDEMAF KMEPI KEMS KDRM KEPREL KBTR KEDU KNP KIRL KNNR KMPT KISLPINR KTPN KA KJUSTH KPIN KDEV KTDD KAKA KFRP KWNM KTSD KINL KJUSKUNR KWWMN KECF KWBC KPRO KVBL KOM KFRDKIRFCVISCMGTKOCIASECPHUMSMIGEG KEDM KFLD KLPM KRGY KNNF KICR KIFR KM KWMNCS KAWS KLAP KPAK KDDG KCGC KID KNSD KMPF KPFO KDP KCMR KRMS KNPT KNNNP KTIAPARM KDTB KNUP KPGOV KNAP KNNC KUK KSRE KREISLER KIVP KQ KTIAEUN KPALAOIS KRM KISLAO KWM KFLOA
PHUM PINR PTER PGOV PREL PREF PL PM PHSA PE PARM PINS PK PUNE PO PALESTINIAN PU PBTS PROP PTBS POL POLI PA PGOVZI POLMIL POLITICAL PARTIES POLM PD POLITICS POLICY PAS PMIL PINT PNAT PV PKO PPOL PERSONS PING PBIO PH PETR PARMS PRES PCON PETERS PRELBR PT PLAB PP PAK PDEM PKPA PSOCI PF PLO PTERM PJUS PSOE PELOSI PROPERTY PGOVPREL PARP PRL PNIR PHUMKPAL PG PREZ PGIC PBOV PAO PKK PROV PHSAK PHUMPREL PROTECTION PGOVBL PSI PRELPK PGOVENRG PUM PRELKPKO PATTY PSOC PRIVATIZATION PRELSP PGOVEAIDUKNOSWGMHUCANLLHFRSPITNZ PMIG PREC PAIGH PROG PSHA PARK PETER POG PHUS PPREL PS PTERPREL PRELPGOV POV PKPO PGOVECON POUS PGOVPRELPHUMPREFSMIGELABEAIDKCRMKWMN PWBG PMAR PREM PAR PNR PRELPGOVEAIDECONEINVBEXPSCULOIIPBTIO PARMIR PGOVGM PHUH PARTM PN PRE PTE PY POLUN PPEL PDOV PGOVSOCI PIRF PGOVPM PBST PRELEVU PGOR PBTSRU PRM PRELKPAOIZ PGVO PERL PGOC PAGR PMIN PHUMR PVIP PPD PGV PRAM PINL PKPAL PTERE PGOF PINO PHAS PODC PRHUM PHUMA PREO PPA PEPFAR PGO PRGOV PAC PRESL PORG PKFK PEPR PRELP PREFA PNG PGOVPHUMKPAO PRELECON PINOCHET PFOR PGOVLO PHUMBA PRELC PREK PHUME PHJM POLINT PGOVPZ PGOVKCRM PGOVE PHALANAGE PARTY PECON PEACE PROCESS PLN PRELSW PAHO PEDRO PRELA PASS PPAO PGPV PNUM PCUL PGGV PSA PGOVSMIGKCRMKWMNPHUMCVISKFRDCA PGIV PRFE POGOV PEL PBT PAMQ PINF PSEPC POSTS PHUMPGOV PVOV PHSAPREL PROLIFERATION PENA PRELTBIOBA PIN PRELL PGOVPTER PHAM PHYTRP PTEL PTERPGOV PHARM PROTESTS PRELAF PKBL PRELKPAO PKNP PARMP PHUML PFOV PERM PUOS PRELGOV PHUMPTER PARAGRAPH PERURENA PBTSEWWT PCI PETROL PINSO PINSCE PQL PEREZ PBS

Browse by classification

Community resources

courage is contagious

Viewing cable 06PHNOMPENH839, CAMBODIAN ROYALIST PARTY IN TURMOIL -- BUT

If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs

Understanding cables
Every cable message consists of three parts:
  • The top box shows each cables unique reference number, when and by whom it originally was sent, and what its initial classification was.
  • The middle box contains the header information that is associated with the cable. It includes information about the receiver(s) as well as a general subject.
  • The bottom box presents the body of the cable. The opening can contain a more specific subject, references to other cables (browse by origin to find them) or additional comment. This is followed by the main contents of the cable: a summary, a collection of specific topics and a comment section.
To understand the justification used for the classification of each cable, please use this WikiSource article as reference.

Discussing cables
If you find meaningful or important information in a cable, please link directly to its unique reference number. Linking to a specific paragraph in the body of a cable is also possible by copying the appropriate link (to be found at theparagraph symbol). Please mark messages for social networking services like Twitter with the hash tags #cablegate and a hash containing the reference ID e.g. #06PHNOMPENH839.
Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
06PHNOMPENH839 2006-05-03 07:30 2011-07-11 00:00 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy Phnom Penh
VZCZCXRO1897
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #0839/01 1230730
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 030730Z MAY 06
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6573
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1420
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM  PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 PHNOM PENH 000839 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS; GENEVA FOR RMA 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/03/2016 
TAGS: PGOV KDEM CB
SUBJECT: CAMBODIAN ROYALIST PARTY IN TURMOIL -- BUT 
STAGGERS ON 
 
Classified By: Pol/Econ Chief Margaret B. McKean, Reason:  1.5 (b) and 
(d) 
 
1.  (C)  Summary.  Conversations with FUNCINPEC royal family 
members and loyalists suggest that some royals, including 
FUNCINPEC leader Prince Norodom Ranariddh, are discussing the 
possibility of forming a new political party.  Former 
Co-Minister of Interior Prince Norodom Sirivudh and Deputy PM 
Lu Lay Sreng, however, say such talk is premature.  Sirivudh 
notes that FUNCINPEC has been hijacked by the CPP, and refers 
to the party as "HUNSENPEC."  King father Norodom Sihanouk 
will return before the end of May, according to Prince 
Sisowath Thomico.  Meanwhile, Prime Minister Hun Sen has 
dismissed more FUNCINPEC officials, which Sirivudh claims is 
aimed more at removing possible obstacles to the 
Cambodia-Vietnam border agreement than the political 
dismantlement of FUNCINPEC within the coalition government. 
End Summary. 
 
A New FUNCINPEC? 
---------------- 
 
2.  (C)   Serei Kosal, a senior FUNCINPEC official, told the 
Embassy in late April that upon his return to Cambodia in 
May, Prince Norodom Ranariddh will assess the functioning of 
FUNCINPEC's permanent committee, Secretary General Nhek Bun 
Chhay's leadership, and FUNCINPEC party cadre satisfaction 
with the party and its handling of recent political 
developments.  Depending on Ranariddh's findings, the 
FUNCINPEC leader may insist on a reorganization of the party. 
 If FUNCINPEC Secretary General Nhek Bun Chhay disagrees, 
Serei Kosal said that Ranariddh may try to form a new party. 
Kosal told us that based on FUNCINPEC's statutes, the 
President of the party has the right to dissolve the party. 
Kosal added that he and other FUNCINPEC officials suspect 
that Nhek Bun Chhay is leading the party in the wrong 
direction according to instructions from the CPP.  Kosal said 
that Ranariddh would include Princess Norodom Vacheara and 
Prince Norodom Chakrapong in important roles in any new 
royalist party, but Prince Norodom Sirivudh would likely be 
ignored as he had been problematic while serving in the 
government.  FUNCINPEC DPM Lu Lay Sreng told us Serei Kosal 
was sending up a trial balloon on the idea of a new party, 
but that the idea was premature. 
 
3.  (C)  According to Serei Kosal, members of the royal 
family advocating a new royalist party would like to see 
FUNCINPEC returned to the leadership of its original founder, 
the retired King Norodom Sihanouk.  However, Prince Sisowath 
Thomico, secretary to former King Sihanouk, told us on April 
26 that Sihanouk would not become involved in party politics 
again in Cambodia.  Thomico noted that in order to maintain 
his role as a figure of national reconciliation, it is 
important that the former king remain above the political 
fray -- no matter how much it affects his own party or his 
family.  Thomico added that Sihanouk has launched three 
political movements -- and been betrayed by followers in each 
one of his endeavors.  The latest political party involving 
Sihanouk was the formation of FUNCINPEC, and Thomico said the 
former king blames his son, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, for 
betraying the party's ideals and his father wishes in 
governing the party. 
 
4.  (U)  Thomico said that Sihanouk would return to Cambodia 
before the end of May, and that he had accompanied the king 
father to North Korea for a recent visit.  While in North 
Korea, Thomico assisted Sihanouk in two film projects:  a 
documentary about North Korea that was shown on Cambodian 
television, and a twelve-minute sketch based on an interview 
with Princess Vacheara, entitled, "Who Does Not Have a 
Mistress?"  The short film is a rebuttal to the Prime 
Minister's attack on FUNCINPEC officials for having 
mistresses, said Thomico, who considers extramarital affairs 
a normal part of Cambodian society and not the exclusive 
weakness of FUNCINPEC members. 
 
Sirivudh's Take on FUNCINPEC's Reversal of Fortune 
--------------------------------------------- ----- 
 
5.  (C)  Prince Norodom Sirivudh, former Co-Minister of 
Defense and ex-Secretary General of FUNCINPEC, met with 
Charge and A/DCM on May 2, and outlined the five demands of 
Hun Sen to Prince Ranariddh in the lead up to the ousting of 
FUNCINPEC from the coalition government.  First, Hun Sen 
demanded that Sirivudh be removed from the government as well 
as any leading role within FUNCINPEC.  Second, the PM 
insisted that Ranariddh's young mistress leave Cambodia. 
Third, Hun Sen threatened Ranariddh, saying that the 50 plus 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000839  002 OF 002 
 
 
one formula meant the FUNCINPEC leader could be removed as 
President of the National Assembly at any time; thus, 
Ranariddh resigned rather than face the embarrassment of 
possible removal.  Fourth, Nhek Bun Chhay should be Secretary 
General of FUNCINPEC -- no one else, according to the PM. 
And finally, Ranariddh must return to Cambodia without his 
mistress.  Sirivudh said that he advised Ranariddh to call 
Hun Sen's bluff on the Prince's possible removal from the 
National Assembly, saying that Cambodians would take to the 
streets if the PM tried to oust Ranariddh.  Ranariddh, he 
continued, buckled under the prospect of being voted out of 
the National Assembly and decided to resign rather than face 
humiliation in the future. 
 
6.  (C)  Sirivudh said that the Prime Minister's attack on 
FUNCINPEC is aimed at quietly removing people who might stand 
in the way of the border demarcation between Cambodia and 
Vietnam, now that the border agreement has been ratified by 
King Sihamoni and the two countries are preparing to put into 
place the border posts.  Hun Sen wants to ensure that 
FUNCINPEC officials from any provinces along the border are 
removed over time, and the other FUNCINPEC firings amidst 
charges of mistresses, corruption, and incompetence are 
merely a smokescreen to mask the real CPP objective. 
Sirivudh noted that from a purely practical matter, it made 
managerial and financial sense to remove excess government 
officials whose duties were duplicated as a result of the 
coalition government.  In that sense, he agrees with Hun Sen 
-- although in his position as a FUNCINPEC loyalist, Sirivudh 
said he must publicly object.  The CPP attacks on the royal 
family members within FUNCINPEC and attempts to hijack the 
party under Nhek Bun Chhay are consistent with Hun Sen's 
desire to marginalize the monarchy from any role in Cambodian 
politics.  Sirivudh quipped that FUNCINPEC has become so 
aligned with the CPP that he refers to the party as 
"HUNSENPEC."  He believes that the PM will ensure FUNCINPEC's 
survival (albeit on a short leash) in order to create 
problems for Sam Rainsy and possibly Kem Sokha.  Sirivudh 
lamented the inability of Cambodia's democratic politicians 
to align themselves against the CPP.  He added that his heart 
remains with the "Alliance of Democrats" coalition of 
FUNCINPEC and the opposition Sam Rainsy Party --  a coalition 
which broke apart in 2004.  (Note:  While there is clearly 
considerable truth in Sirivudh's rendition, he also was 
spinning the story to depict himself as the aggrieved 
democrat.  In fact, the use of the term HUNSENPEC long 
predates our discussion and first came into vogue during the 
2003 electoral campaign when the party was seen as a Hun Sen 
puppet.  End Note.) 
 
7.  (C)  The way forward out of the current mess for 
FUNCINPEC is not clear, said Sirivudh, who offered no vision 
fr attracting new voters to the party of injecting a new 
life into the party's appeal to the nostalgia of former 
times.  He noted that there has been discussion among royal 
family members of a new FUNCINPEC, but like DPM Lu Lay Sreng 
-- believes that the idea is premature.  In the meantime, 
FUNCINPEC officials continue to be removed from government 
posts.  The latest purge has been FUNCINPEC deputy governors, 
all of whom have been removed from their positions by 
FUNCINPEC Secretary General Nhek Bun Chhay. 
 
COMMENT 
------- 
 
8.  (C)  Cambodia's royal family is a tragedy, comedy and 
melodrama all rolled into one that could have provided grist 
for at least a half dozen Shakespeare plays.  In addition to 
the king father's return in May, Prince Ranariddh and 
Princess Vacheara are also expected to come back to the 
country from France.  FUNCINPEC internal party politics 
should once again take center stage and provide some 
political theater for fans of the royal family.  What is 
noteworthy, however, is that none of FUNCINPEC's senior 
officials has a clear idea of how to return the party to its 
former popularity among voters nor outmaneuver the CPP in its 
attempts to undermine the royalists.  End Comment. 
STORELLA