ID :
336976
Sat, 08/02/2014 - 13:23
Auther :

Plan on addressing violence in Thai far South

BANGKOK, August 2 (TNA) - The Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) has proposed setting up four working committees tasked with solving over 10-year-long violence in Thailand’s southern border region. ISOC Spokesman Colonel Banpot Phunpien told reporters on Saturday that the proposal was made on Friday at a meeting, chaired by Secretary-General of the Thai army-led National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), General Udomdej Sitabutr, who is also Deputy Army Chief, and held at the National Security Council (NSC) in Bangkok. Under the proposal, the ISOC spokesman said, measures to be prepared by the four working committees will be sent and then compiled by the NSC, aimed to solve the crux on the sustainable basis. According to the spokesman, neighbour Malaysia will be requested to continue acting as "facilitator" in peace talks between Thai authorities and leaders of insurgent groups and the talks must not lead to a setting of autonomous state or a special administrative zone. The ISOC spokesman revealed that three steps will be prepared, including a preparation for the site of holding the peace talks, a signing of ratification after peace negotiations could be reached at an “appropriate level” and a “joint preparation of a roadmap”. First rounds of peace negotiations were earlier held between high-ranking Thai government officials and representatives of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) insurgency movement in Malaysia, aimed at finding solutions to the violence in the Thai deep South, mainly in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, since early 2004, but the talks were later suspended due to Thailand's political strife. (TNA)

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