Ranariddh seeks UN protection for return to Cambodia

Cambodia's ousted co-premier, Prince Norodom Ranariddh, may delay his return to the country for security reasons.

A senior aide to the prince, Lu Laysreng, said the former first prime minister would postpone his arrival to coincide with visits by the United Nations Secretary-General's personal envoy to Cambodia Thomas Hammarberg, and the UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Mary Robinson, on January the eighteenth and January the twenty-ninth.

The Cambodian leader, Hun Sen, has called for the prince to stand trial as a traitor -- but recently told the UN that Prince Ranariddh would not be arrested if he returned to take part in elections.

From the newsroom of the BBC World Service