Funcinpec party officials announced yesterday they were withdrawing a complaint that accused former party presi-dent Prince Norodom Rana-riddh of illegally selling the party’s helicopter for personal profit three years ago.

Party president Nhek Bun Chhay said Funcinpec was not seeking to sue Ranariddh any more after being told he had asked permission from the government to sell the

party-owned copter.

The announcement came after Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday gave public support to Ranariddh — his former co-prime minister, whom he ousted in a 1997 coup.

“[As for Ranariddh]’s issue involving the helicopter, I told Chhay last night that suing [him] equates to suing Hun Sen,” the prime minister said.

He added, however, that Ranariddh was not an important political figure in Cambodia like he was.