INTERVIEW

PRIME Minister-elect Hun Sen's most senior adviser says

that the CPP is remaining very patient over the protracted deadlock in forming a

new government.

But, Hor Nam Hong told the Post on Oct 11, "it is true we are nearly at the

end, [but] not yet at the extreme end, of our patience. We want to have a government

as soon as possible but we can wait a little bit more."

Nam Hong, who holds a Minister of State rank, painted a picture of his party being

both understanding yet rankled because Funcinpec, he said, "was going too far.

What are they looking for? A confrontation at all costs? The annulment of the election?

What?"

Nam Hong hotly tipped for the ministerial position at Foreign Affairs, though that

post may yet be negotiable said he wasn't yet sure whether Funcinpec were simply

playing out the stalemate to streng- then their bargaining position. If so, he said,

"I don't know whether this way is making for unanimity within Funcinpec".

Nam Hong said the CPP was looking to King Sihanouk as the key to achieve political

agreement.

"Funcinpec should be careful," he said. "It should know how far it

can go in its maneuvers. They always accuse the CPP and Hun Sen of causing their

internal problems in the past they should not go back to that in the future."

"We did not think before the election, given that we were ready to hand over

power, that the opposition would adopt such an attitude. We believed that they were

trustworthy when they were talking about democracy... We are disappointed."

Asked whether some within the CPP were upset that Hun Sen had made concessions to

the opposition with which they may not have agreed, Nam Hong said: "It is true

that not everyone understood the concessions... but it was explained and everyone

now trusts him. Thereis no problem in the CPP.

"There is no "hardline wing" in the party. Maybe there are some elements,

some personalities, who do not have the same appreciation of the political scene.

But there is no hardline wing, that would imply a group but there is no group."