(31 Mar 1998) English/Nat

Prince Norodom Ranariddh, Cambodia's ousted first prime minister, met with supporters of his royalist FUNCINPEC party on Tuesday in an effort to unify the party ahead of the July elections.

FUNCINPEC was decimated after Hun Sen deposed Ranariddh last July, and ended their tense co-premiership.

Ranariddh is in Phnom Penh to gather support for his participation in Cambodia's upcoming elections.

In an effort to boost his support in Asia, Cambodian Prince Norodom Ranariddh met with ambassadors of Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines on Tuesday.

Ranariddh also sat down with the three members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations who formed part of the diplomatic effort for his return.

Hun Sen deposed Ranariddh in a coup last July, ending their co-premiership. At least 43 of the prince's supporters were killed.

A Japanese-led diplomatic plan enabled the prince to return Monday after being pardoned by his father, King Norodom Sihanouk, for convictions in show trials of arms
smuggling and plotting his own coup with Khmer Rouge guerrillas.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"We tried to hear to settle all the disputes and to bring the relations within the framework of free and fair."
SUPER CAPTION: Lu Lay Sreng, aide to Ranariddh

Later Tuesday, the prince also met with supporters of his royalist FUNCINPEC party, which was decimated and split by the coup.

Norodom is trying to bring the party together and strengthen it ahead of the election.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I feel that the next election will not really be free, fair and credible. You see for instance, the access to the media, just today Cambodia is really the one country that neither TV nor radio were talking about my return, but at the same time the world over, the world over as headlines, were talking about my return."
SUPER CAPTION: Prince Norodom Ranariddh

But despite the media blackout, Ranariddh is positive about the upcoming elections.

SOUNDBITE: (English)
"I've got to believe that with really good will from the Cambodians but also with the participation and the presence of foreign observers were will be able to limit the degree of violence, of killing."
SUPER CAPTION: Prince Norodom Ranariddh

Hundreds of the prince's supporters erupted in applause when Ranariddh stood on his balcony Tuesday and waved between meetings.

Since the July coup, foreign nations have cut off aid in protest and Hun Sen needs new elections if he is to legitimize his rule.

Critics accuse Hun Sen of using all means to pervert the polls in his favor, engineering splits in every opposition party and even using violence against opponents. Several
Ranariddh supporters have been killed in recent weeks.

The Prince plans to return Friday to Bangkok. Concerns are high for his security and not all conditions of the Japanese peace plan have been fulfilled, among them a cease-fire between Ranariddh's armed supporters and Hun Sen's army in northwestern Cambodia.

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