The opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) announced Wednesday that it did not recognize Prime Minister Hun Sen-led government, which was formed on Tuesday.

"Our stance is that we do not recognize the government that was formed earlier this week, it was a violation of the constitution and against the principle of multi-party liberal democracy,"CNRP' s President Sam Rainsy said in a press briefing at the party's headquarters.

"We cannot cooperate in any image with this government."

He also called on the international community to condemn the newly-formed government and urged big foreign investors not to sign any deals with the newly-formed government.

The parliament, formed by the ruling party's 68 lawmakers, on Tuesday voted for the formation of a new government under the leadership of Prime Minister Hun Sen even though the opposition's 55 legislators boycotted the session since it refused to accept the results of the July 28 election.

Hun Sen said Tuesday that the new parliament and government were formed in accordance with the constitution despite a boycott of the opposition.

He said, under the constitution, a new government was formed by a 50 percent plus one majority, or 63 lawmakers, in the parliament.

Hun Sen, 61, who has been in power for 28 years, was sworn in for another five-year term on Tuesday.



Although the ruling party had successfully formed a new parliament and government earlier this week, political analysts said the opposition boycott could affect the country's standing in the international community because the legitimacy of the new government could be put into question.

"Without the participation from the opposition, the legitimacy of the new government would be questioned and its role and image on the international stage could be downgraded," Chheang Vannarith, senior researcher of the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace, told Xinhua.

He warned that the Cambodian economy would face huge challenges if there is no domestic political stability and national unity.

"In a political situation like this, both existing and potential investors would be reluctant or more cautious in investing in Cambodia," said Vannarith, a lecturer at the Leeds University in Britain. "If there is no peace and political stability, there is no development."

Professor Sok Touch, deputy chief of the Royal Academy of Cambodia's International Relations Institute, agreed that the opposition boycott would have an adverse effect on the country's international image.

The United States, Japan, Australia and European Commission have urged the Cambodian government to transparently review the alleged irregularities in the July 28 national elections.

"If these countries do not support the new parliament, Cambodia will face an economic crisis because those countries are main importers of Cambodian products, especially garments," he said. " Moreover, investors and tourists from Western countries may hesitate to come to Cambodia."