Chinese top advisor to attend Sihanouk's cremation

PHNOM PENH - French Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault and Jia Qinglin, chairman of Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, will visit Cambodia to participate in the cremation ceremony of late Cambodian King Father Norodom Sihanouk on Feb 4, Cambodian government spokesman said Thursday.

"Besides, senior officials from India and the ten-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations will also attend the ceremony," the government spokesman and information minister, Khieu Kanharith told reporters.

Sihanouk died of illness at the age of 90 in Beijing on Oct 15, last year. Currently, his body is lying in state at Cambodian capital's Royal Palace for the public to pay their last respects.

Sihanouk's body will be cremated on Feb 4 at a cremation site, built at the Meru field next to the Royal Palace.

The government on Tuesday announced that the second time of a week-long mourning for the most revered King Father will be held from Feb 1-7. During the period, all entertainment activities must be suspended and flags must be all flying at half-mast.

Born on Oct 31, 1922, Sihanouk ruled Cambodia from 1941 to 1955 and again from 1993 until his voluntary abdication on Oct 7, 2004 in favor of his son, the current King Norodom Sihamoni.

He suffered from various forms of cancer, diabetes and hypertension and had been treated by Chinese doctors in Beijing for years before his death.