The main opposition Cambodia National Rescue Party (CNRP) has declared its refusal to be part of a joint committee of the National Election Committee (NEC), which was set up to investigate alleged irregularities in the country’s recent poll.

In a letter sent to NEC’s President Im Sua Sdey on August 3, CNRP’s President Sam Rainsy stated that his party’s refusal to take part in the three-party committee, which includes NEC, CNRP and the Cambodian People's Party (CPP), was due to the group failing to meet its requirements.

Sam Rainsy said CNRP will only join a committee with members also included representatives from no-governmental organisations, the United Nations and international observers.

Previously, after the meeting between NEC and representatives from CPP and CNRP at the NEC headquarters on August 3, the participants agreed to set up a joint committee to investigate allegations of wrongdoings in the fifth national poll with observers being representatives from social organisations and the UN.

CNRP’s refusal gave a halt to a meeting slated for August 4 between NEC, CPP and CNRP to discuss working mechanism of the joint committee.-VNA