Cambodia National Rescue Party president Sam Rainsy and Deputy Prime Minister Sar Kheng are set to sit down on October 1 for what may be the final round of interparty talks on revisions to the country’s law on commune elections and internal National Assembly regulations.

CPP spokesman Sok Eysan said yesterday that a vote on the laws was scheduled for October 20, and that if the upcoming meetings failed to yield a full agreement – a few points of contention remain – the law would be sent to the Assembly as is.

“If top-level negotiations still do not have a good result at that time, [we] will tell . . . Sam Rainsy clearly that [we] will send it to the National Assembly to decide by a vote of 50 per cent-plus-one,” Eysan said.

“How can [we] do more if [we] still do not agree together?” CNRP spokesman Yem Ponharith yesterday confirmed the meeting, but cautioned against rushing a vote.

“Generally, democratic countries have always done it like this, but actually [the majority] must also listen to people’s opinions and the minority opinion, too,” he said.