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Cambodia's Sihanouk brings peace bid home
August 29, 1997
Web posted at: 12:17 p.m. EDT (1617 GMT)
SIEM REAP, Cambodia (CNN) -- Cambodia's King Norodom Sihanouk returned to his troubled homeland on Friday, arriving in the same northwest region where factional fighting continues.
Sihanouk went to the town of Siem Reap on his first trip home since strongman Hun Sen ousted the king's son, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, as co-premier in July.
Accompanied by his wife, Queen Monineath, the 74-year-old king flew in from Beijing where he has been receiving medical treatment for several ailments since February and told reporters at the airport his message for his people was one of peace and reconciliation.
He was greeted by acting head of state Chea Sim and other government leaders including Second Prime Minister Hun Sen and newly appointed First Prime Minister Ung Huot.
"I am the father of all Cambodian people," the ailing king told reporters when asked if he recognized Hun Sen's new government.
He has said he wants to hold Buddhist prayers for peace and national reconciliation at the famed Angkor temple complex near Siem Reap.
The king, a constitutional monarch, has made clear his disapproval of Hun Sen's bloody overthrow of Ranariddh and said he still recognized the prince as a legitimate prime minister.
Ranariddh is in exile in neighboring Thailand.
Troops loyal to Hun Sen have nearly taken over the last stronghold of his Ranariddh supporters, according to Thailand's top army commander.
Gen. Chettha Thanajaro indicated that the battle for the village of O'Smach was largely over, but said there were still pockets of resistance. O'Smach is 100 km (60 miles) northwest of Siem Reap.
Chettha made the comment in Chong Chom, Thailand, during a visit to a border camp where 22,000 civilians fleeing the fighting have been sheltered.
Reuters contributed to this report.
- Message Board: Cambodian situation
- Newsmaker Profile: Norodom Sihanouk - Cambodian King
Related stories:
- Heavy fighting at Cambodian-Thai border - August 27, 1997
- Battle rages for royalist stronghold in Cambodia - August 16, 1997
- Abdication of Cambodia's king rejected - August 13, 1997
Related sites:
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- Cambodian Information Center - includies Cambodian news and photos, academic papers on Cambodia, and homepage links
- Embassy of Cambodia - site of the Chancery of the Royal Embassy of Cambodia to the United States located in Washington, D.C.
- Beauty and Darkness: Cambodia in Modern History - documents, essays, oral histories, and photos relating to the recent history of Cambodia, with an emphasis on the Khmer Rouge period
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