In a message from Pyongyang, North Korea, dated July 27, King Norodom Sihanouk said he would not return to Cambodia until he could abdicate.
The 82 year-old king said whenever he could abdicate, he would return to Cambodia to live among the monks and the people. The king also said he wanted to die in Cambodia.
King Sihanouk said he never wanted power and clarified that he stayed abroad because he did not want anyone to think that he wanted to interfere with Cambodian politics.
As a tradition, Cambodian politicians do not comment on the king's messages.