Phnom Penh - Cambodia's election and vote counting were conducted in a "free and fair" manner, the UN-co-ordinated Joint International Observer Group said yesterday. The group also urged all parties "to accept and honour the results of the elections without any attempt to undermine the original outcome".
However, Cambodian opposition parties complained that vote-counting in Sunday's general election was unfair after impressive tallies in the morning were not matched later in the day, analysts and party officials said.
FUNCINPEC, the party of the deposed co-premier, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, and the ruling Cambodian People's Party (CCP) under Mr Hun Sen appeared very close, with the party of the former finance minister Mr Sam Rainsy third.
The Sam Rainsy Party said partial results it had compiled showed the CPP with 39.6 per cent of the vote, FUNCINPEC with 37.7 per cent and its party with 22.6 per cent.
The figures showed the opposition vote had been split and that while the combined opposition would win more seats, the CPP as the largest party in the 122-seat National Assembly would have the right to name the prime minister.