PHNOM PENH, July 12 (Xinhua) -- Sam Rainsy, leader of the main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP), on Friday night extended his profound thanks to Cambodian King Norodom Sihamoni for granting him a royal pardon.
"I am extremely happy to learn that Your Majesty the King pardoned me," he wrote in a letter to the King. "I'd like to extend my deepest gratitude to you for your mercy."
He said the pardon gives him a free return to Cambodia for the fifth National Assembly election on July 28 after he has lived in self-exile for 4 years.
Sam Rainsy also promised with the King to comply with the ideas of late King Father Norodom Sihanouk about the national unification and reconciliation.
Addressing to his supporters in Kandal province's Takhmao district via a video conference from Paris on Friday evening, Sam Rainsy said that he would travel to Cambodia "very soon in the next one or two days".
King Norodom Sihamoni on Friday signed off a royal decree to grant a royal pardon to Sam Rainsy at the request of Prime Minister Hun Sen.
Hun Sen wrote in his request letter that he asked the King to grant the pardon to Sam Rainsy based on the spirit of national unification and reconciliation, and to ensure a free and fair election.
Sam Rainsy, 62, fled Cambodia in late 2009 before the court sentenced him to 11 years in prison in absentia for two charges -- removing border poles and publishing a false map of the border with Vietnam and accusing deputy prime minister and foreign minister Hor Namhong of being a member of the Democratic Kampuchea.
He is living in France.
Eight political parties will compete in the elections with about 9.67 million eligible voters.
Two main parties are the ruling Cambodian People's Party of incumbent Prime Minister Hun Sen and the CNRP led by Sam Rainsy.
Hun Sen's party is widely expected to win the majority in the forthcoming elections.
Hun Sen, 61, has been in power for 28 years and vowed to stay in the post until he's 74.
The country holds a general election in every 5 years. During the last election in July 2008, Hun Sen's party won 90 seats out of the 123 seats in the National Assembly, while the opposition group totally gained 29 seats.
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