Philippines offers to help solve violence in Thai far South

MANILA, June 21 (TNA) - Philippine President Benigno Aquino III has offered to assist the Thai government in seeking a solution to violent unrest in the Thai far South. Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul, who is paying a two-day official visit to the Philippines from June 20-21, told TNA from Manila on Friday that, during his meeting with the Philippine President earlier in the day, the Philippine leader inquired about the situation in the troubled Thai deep South, following three-round of peace talks between the Thai government, through the National Security Council (NSC), and representatives of insurgent groups, led by the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) insurgency morvement. Surapong acknowledged he informed the Philippine President that violent incidents have continued in the southernmost Thai region and the Philippine leader suggested that the peace process would take some times. As the Philippines had spent about 20 years before its success in similar peace negotiations with local insurgents, with Malaysia also being the mediator, the visiting Thai deputy prime minister said, the Philippine President offered that Manila is ready to share its solutions with Thailand, if requested. According to the Thai deputy premier, he also discussed multi-party territorial disputes in the South China Sea with the Philippine President, when the latter confirmed that the Philippines would adhere to the resolution of the International Arbitration. Besides, the Thai deputy prime minister expressed his hope that China and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in which Thailand is a member country, conclude their Code of Conduct on the South China Sea to guarantee regional peace. (TNA)