Myanmar’s military and some of its opponents are ready to engage in dialogue, recognizing that there is no military solution to the country’s current conflict, Thailand’s foreign minister said yesterday.
Sihasak Phuangketkaew’s comments came after he and Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, ASEAN’s current special envoy on Myanmar, held talks with military negotiators and a number of armed rebel groups in Thailand on Monday.
“We hope that eventually we could find some common ground where we can begin some talks,” Sihasak said yesterday, according to Reuters. “At the moment it is going to be probably talks for talks: How to conduct the talks, where to conduct the talks.”
The groups were open to dialogue but had yet to reach a common position, Sihasak said, but added that Thailand is ready to serve as a facilitator and provide a venue for future peace talks.
The discussion in Pattaya involved separate talks with the military-backed National Solidarity and Peacemaking Negotiation Committee, and six armed ethnic groups, including the Karen National Union and the Karenni National Progressive Party, Reuters reported.
