Bektimirova Nadezhda

The Difficult Choice of the Cambodian Opposition

ЮГО-ВОСТОЧНАЯ АЗИЯ: АКТУАЛЬНЫЕ ПРОБЛЕМЫ РАЗВИТИЯ, 2019, №1(42), 151-158

 
Annotation: The article demonstrates that having won elections Cambodian authorities initiated a softening of the political climate under pressure from Western political actors. Cambodian Parliament’s passing of an amendment on the release of detained opposition leaders divided the opposition. Despite a certain improvement in terms of civil liberties and human rights in Cambodia, the European Union (EU) considered this positive shift insufficient and started the process of withdrawing Cambodia’s preferential access to EU markets under the Everything But Arms trade scheme. The EU’s decision in this regard was heavily influenced by Sam Rainsy’s international activities, which a considerable number of his fellow party members opposed.

Keywords: Cambodia, Sam Rainsy, opposition forces, European Union, trade preferences, amnesty