phnom penh unite state call cambodia reverse step backtrack democracy general election next year visit u.s. official say wednesday relations cambodia unite state hit low years arrest rival long-serving prime minister hun sen kem sokha dissolution opposition cambodia national rescue party cnrp hun sen accuse kem sokha party u.s.-backed anti-government plot opposition leader unite state deny advise step take place backtrack democracy could reverse say patrick murphy deputy assistant secretary state southeast asia senior u.s. official visit since cnrp dissolve murphy tell reporters phnom penh cambodia still time general election july conduct electoral process legitimate hun sen look set extend 32-year rule easily next year eliminate cnrp make big gain last general election 2013. tuesday european union follow u.s. lead suspend fund election kem sokha accuse plot treason unidentified americans cambodian supreme court dissolve party last month government request kem sokha say charge political ploy murphy say allegations u.s.-backed plot fabrication want good relationship say little bite friction little bite noise official bilateral relationship remain optimistic visit murphy meet senior officials government minister also meet civil society group ouch borith secretary state foreign ministry meet murphy tuesday tell reporters talk improve relationship defend government action do legal framework defend cambodia independence peace stability anything illegal say reaction dissolution cnrp largely mute cambodia right group decry say increasingly repressive atmosphere southeast asian nation condemn detention several reporters closure media outlets hun sen shrug criticism west china cambodia large aid donor lean support hun sen say respect cambodia right defend national security u.s. urge cambodia reverse step democracy