Cambodian Opposition Leader Petitions Politicians in London

The leader of the opposition in Cambodia and Chairman of CALD (LI cooperating organisation), Sam Rainsy, joined LI Secretary-General,Emil Kirjas, in London this week to strengthen his support ahead of the Cambodian elections in July. Following an appeal made by the LI President Hans Van Baalen MEP, who called on the international community not to send election observers to Cambodia as a sign of protest to the illegitimacy surrounding the electoral processes in the country, Mr Rainsy visited LI's headquarters and the Houses of Parliament where he met with the Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrats (LI full member) Simon Hughes MP and former LI President, Lord Alderdice. The visit comes in light of a press conference in Phnom Penh, at which the National Democratic Institute — NDI (LI cooperating organisation) confirmed Rainsy's repeated assertions about voter list manipulation. Earlier this week, 5 ALDE MEPs wrote to the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy about Sam Rainsy being denied the right to stand as a candidate for the national elections in the country.