VZCZCXRO1592
PP RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHHM RUEHNH
DE RUEHPF #0554/01 1900826
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 080826Z JUL 08
FM AMEMBASSY PHNOM PENH
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
INFO RUCNASE/ASEAN MEMBER COLLECTIVE PRIORITY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 PHNOM PENH 000554 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR EAP/MLS, PLEASE ALSO PASS TO USAID 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL KDEM KWMN CB
SUBJECT: CAMBODIAN ELECTIONS: LADIES FIRST, AS DEBATES GO 
PRIME TIME 
 
REF: A. PHNOM PENH 522 
     ¶B. PHNOM PENH 403 
 
 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: The first multi-party candidate debate in 
preparation for Cambodia's July 27 election took place in 
Phnom Penh July 8.  This initial debate featured women 
candidates from four parties, as a key theme of the National 
Democratic Institute (NDI's) USAID-financed program in 
Cambodia has been strengthening women's participation in 
politics.  A second women candidates debate will occur July 
9, followed by 20 further debates taking place throughout the 
country.  For the first time, ten of the total 22 debates 
will be broadcast on state television -- marking a 
significant step forward in transparency and responsiveness 
to voters' concerns.  The NDI-organized debates were 
initially scheduled to begin June 27, but hit a snag when NDI 
presented the parties an initial list of complex and clearly 
biased questions.  The ruling Cambodian People's Party (CPP) 
predictably protested, lodging a formal complaint which the 
National Election Committee (NEC) quickly adjudicated.  NDI 
headquarters recovered smartly, dispatching a senior offical 
who managed to get the debates back on track.  The Deputy 
Chief of Mission delivered remarks at this morning's opening, 
which will be televised with both today's and tomorrow's 
debates, noting how important it is that Cambodia's 8.1 
million voters have the opportunity to see their candidates 
respectfully interacting and discussing important issues 
affecting the future of Cambodia.  End Summary. 
 
LADIES FIRST 
------------ 
 
¶2. (SBU)  Female politicians who are listed candidates from 
the Khmer Anti-Poverty Party, the Khmer Democratic Party, the 
Khmer Republican Party and FUNCINPEC participated in a 
televised debate July 8.  Participants had a chance to 
present their party's platform, before taking two randomly 
selected questions prepared by NDI; one question posed by a 
competing political party; and three questions posed by 
members of the audience.  There were some technical glitches 
with this first televised debate as the cameramen adapted to 
the rapidly moving format.  And, by chance, the (random) 
selection of which parties would go on which date grouped 
less competitive parties together for this first debate. 
Female candidates from the more competitive CPP, SRP, NRP and 
HRP will participate in a second debate July 9.  However, the 
opening of the debate series marked an important step forward 
in this election period.  In her opening remarks, DCM 
expressed delight that the debates were able to go forward -- 
referring without explicit reference to NDI's successful 
recovery from earlier mis-steps.  DCM also noted the 
importance of the debates appearing on widely watched state 
television, as well as four radio stations. 
 
¶3. (SBU) Although the current Cambodian government has a 
stated policy of encouraging increased participation by women 
in politics, the number of women competing for National 
Assembly seats is lower than in past Cambodian elections. 
However, the women who are participating are playing more 
senior roles in their respective parties and are more highly 
placed on the electoral lists.  Prime Minister Hun Sen has 
also announced plans essentially to set quotas for female 
representation in provincial positions, possibly including 
creating deputy governor positions specifically for women. 
Therefore, the female candidates debates provide an important 
opportunity for these women's voices to be heard. 
 
LIGHT ON SUBSTANCE 
----------------- 
 
¶4. (SBU) Although the July 8 debate included only women, the 
debate format, questions posed, and answers provided had no 
noticeable gender focus.  Candidates answered NDI-formulated 
questions about land use and their parties' foreign policy 
platform and took questions from the audience about dealing 
with poverty, addressing corruption, and developing the 
economy.  The debate was respectful, with all candidates 
observing the rules and keeping to time limits.  Candidates' 
answers were at times frothy -- advocating peace and love, 
respect for Cambodia's cultural heritage, and the creation of 
a Ministry of Social Wellbeing.  However, emboffs observing 
judged this to be symptomatic of the lack of detail already 
noted in the platforms of three of these parties (KAPP, KDP 
and KRP).  The FUNCINPEC participant was the debate's biggest 
surprise, elucidating a more fully developed strategy than 
we've heard in earlier sessions, but still trying to 
establish FUNCINPEC's credentials as the monarchists' party. 
Perhaps not surprisingly for three parties whose leaders are 
American citizens, the KAPP, KDP and KRP all advocated close 
 
PHNOM PENH 00000554  002 OF 002 
 
 
ties with the U.S. -- with one candidate saying that her 
party intended to negotiate visa-free entry to the U.S. and 
another saying her party would solve poverty by seeking 
additional foreign aid. 
 
IT'S THE ECONOMY, STUPID 
----------------------- 
 
¶5. (SBU)  The studio audience of some 250 included 
approximately 50 individuals bedecked in KDP paraphernalia 
and a slightly smaller group in FUNCINPEC yellow.  Two of the 
three audience members chosen to pose questions were from 
local NGOs -- election observer NICFEC and youth group YCC. 
The third audience member did not appear affiliated with any 
organization and posed an impassioned question about how the 
parties proposed to address poverty in Cambodia.  The 
audiences' tangible enthusiasm for this questioner's 
presentation was a keen reminder of how important perceptions 
about the economy, corruption and wealth distribution are 
likely to be in this election.  Poll data (ref B) shows that 
a high percentage of Cambodians believe the country is headed 
in the right direction.  However, opposition parties -- most 
notably SRP -- believe that the most compelling planks in 
their platform combine promising better health care and more 
jobs with arguments that CPP officials and their cronies are 
the only ones benefiting from Cambodia's growth. 
 
 
FOOTNOTE: PREAH VIHEAR 
---------------------- 
 
¶6. (SBU) Although the World Heritage Committee's decision to 
list the Preah Vihear temple had not yet been publicized in 
Cambodia at the time of the debate, three of the four 
candidates mentioned Preah Vihear in their remarks, reminding 
us of the importance many Cambodians place on this issue. 
The candidates from FUNCINPEC and KRP cited the temple to 
emphasize sovereignty and national pride.  Later, the 
FUNCINPEC rep answered a question about her party's highest 
foreign policy priority by stressing the importance of 
promoting Cambodia's national heritage, including temples, 
and taking action against looting. 
MUSSOMELI