Asia-Pacific

Peace talks possible only after Red-shirts end rally: Gov't

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-05-17 17:12
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Peace talks possible only after Red-shirts end rally: Gov't
An anti-government protester sets a tire on fire on Sunday May 16, 2010 in Bangkok, Thailand. [Agencies] 

BANGKOK - Thailand's government will only resume the peace talks with the Red-shirts after they end the rally and riots, deputy PM's secretary general Panithan Wattanayakorn said Monday afternoon as a response to the protesters' willingness to negotiate.

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The Nation online quoted Panithan as saying that the Red-shirts leaders have to end the rally at the downtown Rajprasong area and to stop attacking troops and innocent people.

Panithan was responding to the latest statement by the Red-shirts leader Nuttawut Saikua in the afternoon that the anti-government group is willing to talk to the government in order to end the clashes between the troops and protesters, which have claimed at least 35 people's live.

The government has repeatedly said that the troops would not shoot at people, their target is the armed persons among the Red-shirts protesters.

Earlier the Center for Resolution of Emergency Situation (CRES), which is in charge of the security under the emergency decree, had issued an ultimatum that all the protestors leave the main rally site Rajprasong by 3:00 p.m. local time Monday.
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