T

HE Royal Government will celebrate on Wednesday, October 23, a "magnificent"

fifth anniversary of the Paris Peace Accords which rescued Cambodia from a decade-long

civil war.

A Cabinet of Ministers circular signed by Premiers Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Hun

Sen instructed ministries to make preparations for holding the occasion in a "magnificent

and jubilant way."

The Ministry of Finance has been asked to plan a budget for the event. The Ministry

of Foreign Affairs will prepare invitations for foreign guests.

Flags of 19 countries-signatories to the peace agreement will be hoisted at an official

ceremony to be held in front of the Royal Palace and to be attended by Cambodian

and foreign participants, according to the circular.

Banners and slogans welcoming the jubilee will be hung across the capital's streets,

and the Ministry of Culture and Phnom Penh Municipality have been told to organize

art performances to entertain the public.

Marking the "historical day" of October 23 is to express Cambodia's gratitude

for the assistance from the 19 countries and the United Nations to the peace process,

the circular said.

It added that the day "is crafted into the life of every Cambodian as the beginning

of a journey toward ending the lingering war, national unification and reconciliation,

peace building, rehabilitation and development of Cambodia".

Vietnam-backed State of Cambodia, Royalist Funcinpec, Khmer People's National Liberation

Front (KPNLF) and the Democratic Kampuchea party signed the peace agreement in Paris

on October 23, 1991.

The agreement paved the way for the $2 billion UN-sponsored elections in May, 1993.

The National Assembly was born a few months after the election, allowing a coalition

government led by two prime ministers to take office.

The DK widely, known as Khmer Rouge, boycotted the election and is now seriously

suffering from internal split and mass defections that began two months ago.