Army chief: Thai govt not involved in insurgency talks in Indonesia

BANGKOK, Sept 23 (TNA) - Army chief Gen. Anupong Paochinda said Tuesday
that the Thai government is not involved in a dialogue which took place
between a former senior army officer and representatives from
violence-plagued southern Thailand, aimed at ending the continuing
violence in the region, held at the Indonesian Presidential Palace last
weekend.

Gen. Anupong told journalists that he believed the talks held between Gen.
Kwanchart Klaharn, a former Fourth Army commander responsible for security
affairs in southern Thailand and also adviser to former defence minister
Samak Sundaravej, with representatives from the Muslim South were held in
the personal capacity of the general and the Thai government was not
involved.

The two-day negotiations ending Sunday were mediated by Indonesian Vice
President Yusuf Kalla.

"It's an attempt by an academic (Gen. Kwanchart) to end the problem which
is possible. The (Thai) foreign ministry has already clarified the
matter," said Gen. Anupong.

Ministry spokesman Tharit Charungvat has said the government was not
involved in the talks in Indonesia and it had not asked Indonesia to act
as a mediator.

To date, over 3,500 people have died in southern Thailand since renewed
violence broke out in January 2004.

Asked whether the latest negotiations held in Indonesia would deteriorate
the situation in the restive South as when former Thai defence minister
Gen. Chetta Thanajaro held a press conference in Bangkok in July about a
joint ceasefire with a group claiming to be representatives of Thailand
United Southern Underground, Gen. Anupong said: "No".

Gen. Anupong said government operations against the insurgents in the
restive South were so far satisfactory.