Thailand Stresses Migrant Problems Must Be Resolved

LUXEMBOURG, Nov 8 (TNA) – Thailand’s Foreign Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai has proposed that migrant problems must be resolved, aimed at containing the problem from mushrooming, and it must be solved by thorough understanding along with economic and social developments. Mr. Don’s proposal was made during the 12th Asia-Europe Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held in Luxembourg in which ministers from more than 51 countries participated. He told journalists that participants at the meeting discussed crucial issues prevailing in each region while he had raised unusual migrations in the Indian Ocean. On May 29 this year, Thailand hosted a meeting on the plight of the Rohingya ethnic minority aimed at tackling the Southeast Asian migrant crisis in Bangkok. Several countries had asked Thailand to continue exploring ways to resolve the migrant problem in which the kingdom would hold a meeting again this December 3, said Mr. Don. Countries which are directly involved in the problem will be invited to attend the meeting along with those which are interested in the issue. Mr. Don had earlier conferred unofficially with Federica Mogherini, a senior representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, as Thailand takes on the post coordinator for ASEAN-EU in 2016. ASEAN secretary-general Le Luong Minh also attended the meeting. The EU wants to strengthening ties to a strategic partnership level with ASEAN and wants to play a role on security in ASEAN region, Mr. Don said, adding that Thailand is willing to support because there was no progress in relationship between the two groupings during the past decade. There is still enough room to develop relations and Thailand will put efforts to strengthen relations between the two sides when it hosts ASEAN-EU foreign ministers meeting next year, he said, adding that he hopes many EU representatives would attend the meeting. Mr. Don said he would use the upcoming meeting to make European countries to better understand current Thailand’s political situation, marred by political chaos in the past decade. (TNA)