- Title: MALAYSIA: Thai government starts peace talks with Muslim rebel group
- Date: 28th March 2013
- Summary: KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA (MARCH 28, 2013) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF KUALA LUMPUR CITY VARIOUS (LEFT) THAI NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SECRETARY-GENERAL , PARADORN PATTANATHABUTR AND AZIZ BENHAWAN, CHAIRMAN OF PEACE-BUILDING ADVISORY COUNCIL IN SOUTHERN BORDER PROVINCES (SOUNDBITE) (Thai) THAI NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL SECRETARY-GENERAL , PARADORN PATTANATHABUTR SAYING: "I'm confid
- Embargoed: 12th April 2013 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Malaysia
- Country: Malaysia
- Topics: Conflict,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVAD6W0MD73T0FL0GO5YY6DPHH1L
- Story Text: Thailand's government held the first formal peace talks with a major Muslim rebel group on Thursday (March 28) in Kuala Lumpur in an effort to end the bloodiest conflicts in Southeast Asia.
The talks, mediated by Malaysia, came after the Thai government and members of the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) signed an agreement at the end of February to start negotiations in Kuala Lumpur.
According to earlier Thai media reports, the government was likely to submit a three-point proposal including demands that the group reduce daily hostile activities, stop attacks against innocent targets and cease car bomb attacks in downtown areas.
The Secretary-General of the Thai National Security Council who leads the talks was confident that the BRN would pass on their goodwill message to the militants on the ground.
"I'm confident that BRN, which is a major movement in their operation, will pass on our messages from these talks to their armed groups," Paradorn Pattanathabutr told reporters before the meeting.
More than 5,000 have died since 2004. Although the talks may not resolve the conflict overnight but they would give authorities a better idea who was responsible for the incidents, said Paradorn.
"The violence not only comes from BRN but other existing forces. Our talks may not stop the violence immediately but with further communication, we will be able to see a clearer picture of who are the ones still in movement and creating violence. We need some time to get clearer answers from this," said Paradorn.
The chief negotiator also played down doubts over the BRN's ability to meet the Thai government's key initial demand at the talks to stop the escalating bloodshed.
"I believe BRN is the main group that can help to reduce violence. They are the biggest group who are still influential in most of the incidents so we are talking to the right group as BRN chiefs can communicate to the armed groups on the ground. They need some time to reduce the incidents," said Paradorn.
There is no time frame set to end the talks.
Various shadowy rebel groups are active in the south and analysts have said it was far from clear that all would accept the idea of peace talks.
Just hours before the peace talk began, three soldiers were killed by a roadside bomb attack in Narathiwat province, southern Thailand. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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