Reconciliation talks to start, 'pact in 3 months'

Reconciliation talks to start, 'pact in 3 months'

Defence spokesman Kongcheep Tantrawanit (photo by Wassana Nanuam)
Defence spokesman Kongcheep Tantrawanit (photo by Wassana Nanuam)

The military will start discussions on national reconciliation with politicians on Valentine's Day and plans to produce a reconciliation pact in three months.

The Defence Ministry will arrange roundtable discussions where military officers talk with 10 representatives from each political party on weekdays, starting on Feb 14, defence spokesman Khongcheep Tantrawanit said on Thursday.

At the roundtable, 10 soldiers would discuss 10 reconciliation-related topics with the 10 political representatives from each party.

Gen Chaicharn Changmongkol, permanent secretary for defence, would head a sub-committee collating the opinions.The talks would extend over three months, and there would then be a draft reconciliation agreement, the defence spokesman said.

A committee headed by army chief Chalermchai Sittisat would draft the agreement. The panel would include Somkid Lertpaitoon, president of Thammasat University and member of the National Legislative Assembly.

The draft would then go to public hearings that the military would organise in all regions. Representatives of farmers would also be invited to comment on the draft, Maj Gen Khongcheep said.

Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon said the reconciliation pact would not need to be signed, but would mean a consensus from political parties and general people.

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