Kem Sokha (L) and Sam Rainsy signed an alliance agreement 15th Jan, 2009.By Sebastian Strangio and VONG SOKHENG
The Phnom Penh Post
Analysts say there's a lot to be gained from joining forces, but personality clashes could sink plans.
NEW talks of an opposition merger have again inspired hopes of a grand democratic alliance to balance the power of the Cambodian People's Party, but observers say that recent aborted merger attempts call into question whether the parties will learn from the past or end up repeating it.
The Sam Rainsy Party and Human Rights Party signed an agreement to align under the banner of the Democratic Movement for Change in January, following the ruling party's landslide win in last year's national election.
Yem Ponhearith, secretary general of the HRP, said that during the party's national convention on Sunday, delegates will vote on whether to merge fully with the SRP ahead of the 2012 commune council elections.
He said the recent string of suits against government critics had made the need for unity more urgent than ever.
"We need more dialogue in order to achieve our aim to merge into a single democratic party before 2012," he said.
"We hope that our plan of merging the parties will not meet any obstacles. We want a democratic party that will balance the power of the CPP."
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