Editing Norodom Ranariddh (section)

===Co-operation and co-administration with CPP===
[[Image:Ranariddh press conference.jpg|250px|thumb|Ranariddh giving a press conference to journalists in 1993]]

Benny Widyono, the UN secretary-general's representative in Cambodia from 1994 to 1997,<ref>Widyono (2008), p. xxvii</ref> has observed that although Ranariddh was nominally senior to Hun Sen, he held less executive power.<ref>Widyono (2008), p. 166</ref> Ranariddh initially viewed Hun Sen with suspicion, but the pair soon developed a close working relationship,<ref>Widyono (2008), p. 130</ref> agreeing on most policy decisions made until early 1996.<ref>Peou (2000), p. 243</ref><ref name="Widoyono214">Widyono (2008), pp. 214–15</ref> In August 1993, while Cambodia was still under the administration of an interim government, Ranariddh and Hun Sen jointly applied to make the country a member in the [[International Organization of the Francophonie]]. The decision to enter the Francophonie sparked a debate among students in higher educational institutes,<ref>{{cite web |author=Ker Munthit |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodia-chooses-franco-phone-path |title=Cambodia Chooses Franco-phone Path |date=13 August 1993 |access-date=27 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923164426/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cambodia-chooses-franco-phone-path |archive-date=23 September 2015 |work=Phnom Penh Post |url-status=dead }}</ref> particularly those from the [[Institute of Technology of Cambodia]] who called for French to be replaced with English as the language of instruction. In response, Ranariddh encouraged students to simultaneously learn both English and French.<ref>{{cite web |author=Moeun Chhean Nariddh |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/learn-both-says-prime-minister |title='Learn both' says Prime Minister |date=22 October 1993 |access-date=27 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150814111140/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/learn-both-says-prime-minister |archive-date=14 August 2015 |work=Phnom Penh Post |url-status=dead }}</ref>

In August 1995, Ranariddh expressed admiration for the political and economic systems of Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. As he saw it, these countries, characterised by [[Illiberal democracy|hybrid regimes]], active [[economic interventionism]] and limited [[Freedom of the press|press freedom]], served as good models to propel Cambodia's socio-economic growth. Ranariddh espoused the view that economic development should take precedence over democratic and human rights.<ref>Widyono (2008), p. 192–93</ref> In the initial months of the administration, he actively courted political leaders from various regional countries, including Indonesia,<ref>Norodom (2014), p. 17</ref> Singapore<ref>{{cite news|author=Press Staff|url=http://eresources.nlb.gov.sg/newspapers/Digitised/Article/straitstimes19930827-1.2.35.10.aspx|title=Cambodian Prince Ranariddh here for 3-day visit|date=27 August 1993|access-date=14 October 2015|page=27|work=The Straits Times (Restricted access)}}</ref> and Malaysia, with a view to encouraging investment in Cambodia. In early 1994, Ranariddh established the Cambodian Development Council (CDC)<ref name="Malaysiainvestment">{{cite web |author=Carol Livingston |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/malaysia-pm-spurs-investors |title=Malaysia PM spurs investors |date=22 April 1994 |access-date=5 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713053520/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/malaysia-pm-spurs-investors |archive-date=13 July 2015 |work=Phnom Penh Post |url-status=dead }}</ref> to encourage foreign investment, and served as its chairperson.<ref>{{cite web |author=CJon Ogden |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cdc-set-launch-advert-blitz-lure-investors |title=CDC set to launch advert blitz to lure investors |date=7 October 1994 |access-date=5 June 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150713041904/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/cdc-set-launch-advert-blitz-lure-investors |archive-date=13 July 2015 |work=Phnom Penh Post |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Malaysian Prime Minister, [[Mahathir Mohamad]], supported Ranariddh's plans, and encouraged Malaysian businessmen to invest and assist in developing the tourism, infrastructural development and telecommunications industries.<ref name="Malaysiainvestment"/><ref name="Widoyono 199-200"/>

As the chairman of the CDC, Ranariddh gave his approval to at least 17 business contracts submitted by Malaysian businessmen between August 1994 and January 1995. The projects mostly covered infrastructural development, and included construction of a racing track, power plants and petrol stations.<ref name="Widoyono 199-200">Widyono (2008), pp. 199–200</ref><ref name="MichaelHayes1995">{{cite web |author=Michael Hayes |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/malaysian-business-connection |title=The Malaysian business connection |date=27 January 1995 |access-date=6 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150812171118/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/malaysian-business-connection |archive-date=12 August 2015 |work=Phnom Penh Post |url-status=dead }}</ref> In November 1994, the CDC opened a tender to build a casino near [[Sihanoukville (city)|Sihanoukville]] and proposals submitted by three companies were shortlisted; Ariston Berhad from Malaysia, Unicentral Corporation from Singapore and Hyatt International from the US. Ariston's proposal was valued at US$1.3&nbsp;billion, and included bringing a luxury [[cruise ship]] with casino to Cambodia, to be used to accommodate tourists until the Sihanoukville resort was built. Before the tender was even concluded, Ariston's ship was brought to Phnom Penh in early December.<ref>{{cite web |author=Matthew Grainger |url=http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/malaysians-snare-naga-casino-deal |title=Malaysians snare Naga casino deal |date=16 December 1994 |access-date=6 February 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150723122146/http://www.phnompenhpost.com/national/malaysians-snare-naga-casino-deal |archive-date=23 July 2015 |work=Phnom Penh Post |url-status=dead }}</ref> The Tourism Minister, [[Veng Sereyvuth]] suspected that there was backroom dealing activities between CDC and Ariston,<ref name="MichaelHayes1995"/> who were nevertheless awarded the contract, which Ranariddh signed in January 1995.<ref name="Widoyono 199-200"/>

In 1992, the UNTAC administration had banned forest logging and timber exports, a major industry and source of foreign earnings. In October 1993, Ranariddh issued an order to lift the ban on a temporary basis so as to allow trees that were already [[Felling|felled]] to be exported for timber.<ref name="Kiernan97">Kiernan and Hughes (2007), p. 97</ref> The [[Khmer Rouge]] still controlled large tracts of forests in the regions of western and northern Cambodia bordering Thailand,<ref>Kiernan and Hughes (2007), p. 82</ref> and helped finance its operations by selling timber to Thai forestry companies. The Cambodian government was unable to impose its will in Khmer Rouge territory, and was eager to regain the logging revenues.<ref>Kiernan and Hughes (2007), p. 77</ref>

In January 1994, Ranariddh and Hun Sen signed a [[bilateral agreement]] with Thai Prime Minister [[Chuan Leekpai]]. The agreement provided for felled trees to be legally exported to Thailand on a temporary basis until 31 March 1994. The agreement also arranged for specially-designated customs zones to be created within Thai territory, which allowed Cambodian custom officials to inspect the logs and collect export duties.<ref name="Kiernan78">Kiernan and Hughes (2007), p. 78</ref>

The logging ban went into force on 31 March 1994, but trees continued to be felled and a new stockpile of timber was created.  Ranariddh and Hun Sen gave special authorisation for the lumber to be exported to [[North Korea]].<ref>Kiernan and Hughes (2007), p. 79</ref> They would continue the practice of periodically lifting export bans and granting special approvals to clear stocks of fallen timber on an on-and off-basis until Ranariddh's ouster in 1997.<ref name="Kiernan97"/> According to Canadian geographer [[Philippe Le Billon]], Ranariddh and Hun Sen tacitly supported continued Khmer Rouge logging activities as it provided a lucrative backdoor source of cash revenue<ref name="Kiernan78"/> to finance their own political activities.<ref name="Kiernan97"/> Under Ranariddh's co-administration, Malaysia's Samling Berhad and Indonesia's Macro-Panin were among the largest beneficiaries of government contracts, as these two logging companies, in 1994–1995, secured rights to log 805,000 hectares and 1.4&nbsp;million hectares of forests, respectively.<ref name="Kiernan97"/><ref>Summers (2003), p. 248</ref>