ID :
114519
Thu, 04/01/2010 - 14:11
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/114519
The shortlink copeid
Government tries for truce talks with Red Shirt leaders
BANGKOK, April 1 (TNA) - The government of Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva still hopes that the anti-government 'Red-Shirt' United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) will eventually return to the negotiating table to find a solution to the political stalemate, according to one of the government negotiators.
Democrat Party deputy secretary-general Chamni Sakdiset, one of the government negotiators, said Korbsak Sabhavasu, the prime minister's secretary-general, continues to coordinate with the Red Shirts, but if they reject the invitation meet Thursday, it may still be possible April 2.
Coordination continues but whether it will be successful or not depends on the UDD side, he said.
Mr Chamni said that the government-proposed 'Nine Month Roadmap' leading to a House dissolution was well thought out under the legal framework as the Parliament should not be dissolved before that timeframe.
He denied the comment by academics that the government intentionally delayed the process to make way for completion of the military annual reshuffle, particularly in the army. Deputy Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha is tipped to succeed retiring Gen Anupong Paochinda as army chief, saying that the military is duty-bound to work with every government.
The second round of negotiations between Prime Minister Abhisit and the Red Shirt leaders ended inconclusively with the UDD insisting the government must dissolve the House within 15 days, not nine months as proposed by the government.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul, said the nine-month timeframe proposed by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was appropriate and agreed upon by the coalition parties.
Mr Chavarat, who led Bhumjaithai, a coalition party, said even though the two rounds of talks between government and Red Shirt found no common ground, there could be more talks.
As for the Red Shirt mass rally on Saturday, Mr Chavarat said that the ministry would not block arrivals from the provinces from entering Bangkok to join the demonstration as it was the basic rights under Constitution to protest peacefully.
He said the demonstration must be carried out within legal framework and instructed the concerned agencies to step up security measures to prevent future bomb attacks.
The Red Shirt leaders earlier announced that the group will intensify its mass rally Saturday if the government does not accept the group's proposal to dissolve the Parliament within 15 days.
Jatuporn Prompan, a top UDD leader, on Thursday threatened to carry red shirt demonstrators to protest at state-run television NBT (National Broadcasing Television), accusing the government of using the state media to distort information against the Red Shirts.
He warned that a third round of talks with the government is impossible if the government does not stop using state media to cast a bad light on the Red Shirts.
Mr Jatuporn urged the prime minister to adjust his conditions regarding his nine-month timeframe to dissolve the House.
The UDD leader dismissed a planned counter-rally against the Red Shirts at Chulalongkorn University on Friday, accusing some coordinators used to join the rally with the 'Yellow Shirt' People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the UDD's arch rival.
Mr Jatuporn also announced he will lead his red shirt activists to rally at the Office of the Election Commission on April 5 to demand progress in investigating an alleged unlawful money donation to the ruling Democrat Party. He said the Red Shirt's lawyer will file a lawsuit against the EC for malfeasance. (TNA)
Democrat Party deputy secretary-general Chamni Sakdiset, one of the government negotiators, said Korbsak Sabhavasu, the prime minister's secretary-general, continues to coordinate with the Red Shirts, but if they reject the invitation meet Thursday, it may still be possible April 2.
Coordination continues but whether it will be successful or not depends on the UDD side, he said.
Mr Chamni said that the government-proposed 'Nine Month Roadmap' leading to a House dissolution was well thought out under the legal framework as the Parliament should not be dissolved before that timeframe.
He denied the comment by academics that the government intentionally delayed the process to make way for completion of the military annual reshuffle, particularly in the army. Deputy Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha is tipped to succeed retiring Gen Anupong Paochinda as army chief, saying that the military is duty-bound to work with every government.
The second round of negotiations between Prime Minister Abhisit and the Red Shirt leaders ended inconclusively with the UDD insisting the government must dissolve the House within 15 days, not nine months as proposed by the government.
Meanwhile, Interior Minister Chavarat Charnvirakul, said the nine-month timeframe proposed by Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva was appropriate and agreed upon by the coalition parties.
Mr Chavarat, who led Bhumjaithai, a coalition party, said even though the two rounds of talks between government and Red Shirt found no common ground, there could be more talks.
As for the Red Shirt mass rally on Saturday, Mr Chavarat said that the ministry would not block arrivals from the provinces from entering Bangkok to join the demonstration as it was the basic rights under Constitution to protest peacefully.
He said the demonstration must be carried out within legal framework and instructed the concerned agencies to step up security measures to prevent future bomb attacks.
The Red Shirt leaders earlier announced that the group will intensify its mass rally Saturday if the government does not accept the group's proposal to dissolve the Parliament within 15 days.
Jatuporn Prompan, a top UDD leader, on Thursday threatened to carry red shirt demonstrators to protest at state-run television NBT (National Broadcasing Television), accusing the government of using the state media to distort information against the Red Shirts.
He warned that a third round of talks with the government is impossible if the government does not stop using state media to cast a bad light on the Red Shirts.
Mr Jatuporn urged the prime minister to adjust his conditions regarding his nine-month timeframe to dissolve the House.
The UDD leader dismissed a planned counter-rally against the Red Shirts at Chulalongkorn University on Friday, accusing some coordinators used to join the rally with the 'Yellow Shirt' People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), the UDD's arch rival.
Mr Jatuporn also announced he will lead his red shirt activists to rally at the Office of the Election Commission on April 5 to demand progress in investigating an alleged unlawful money donation to the ruling Democrat Party. He said the Red Shirt's lawyer will file a lawsuit against the EC for malfeasance. (TNA)
