THE Government plans a cabinet reshuffle soon to speed up reforms in key ministries,

according to the Secretary of State for the Ministry of Information, Khieu Kanharith.

"Our idea is to change around peoples' jobs to put them into an appropriate

post," said Kanharith.

He declined to give details of who would be moved and to where, but he said the CPP

had made its decisions and they were now waiting to hear from Funcinpec as to what

changes Funcinpec wanted to make.

There have been rumors that Om Yienteng, advisor to Prime Minister Hun Sen, will

become the Minister of Information; that the current Minister of Information, Lu

Lay Sreng, will become Minister of Commerce; that the current Minister of Commerce,

Cham Prasidh, will become Minister of Finance and Economics; and that the current

Finance Minister, Keat Chhon, will become Chairman of the Council for the Development

of Cambodia.

According to the rumors, the Second Chairman of the Senate, Nhek Bunchhay, will become

Co-Defense Minister; current Co-Defense Minister Prince Sisowath Sirirath will become

Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation; and the current Foreign

Minister, Hor Nam Hong, will become Minister of Asean Relations (a yet to be established

ministry).

Om Yienteang said he had heard the reshuffle rumors but did not think it was an appropriate

time for the country to be making such a move.

Head of the National Assembly and Funcinpec Prince Norodom Ranariddh said that he

was unaware of any cabinet level moves at the moment.