The Thai government and Muslim insurgents yesterday agreed to address a
four-year bloody conflict in southern part of the country through talks and to
resume halted ceasefire, Indonesian state spokesman Dino Patti Djalal said here.
The agreement was reached after a two-day talks brokered by Indonesia, which
has experience in terminating rebellions in Aceh and dealing with insurgency in
Papua, said the spokesman.
Five representatives from Thailand's predominately Muslim deep south and the
Thai government ended their first round of close-door negotiation on Sunday in
presidential palace in Bogor, about 50 km south of the capital Jakarta, Dino
said.
"The first round of the talks ended today and there were some agreements
achieved including the conflict in southern Thailand must be settled in a
peaceful way, and all parties must restrain from acts which can create
violence," Dino said at the State Palace.
The talks between the two sides in Bogor was mediated by Indonesian Vice
President Jusuf Kalla who was one of architect of the peace process between
Jakarta and rebels in Aceh, said Dino.
He said that the Thai government delegation led by Kwanchart Klaharn, a
former southern army commander and adviser to Thailand's defense ministry, but
he did not identify the southerners.
He also disclosed that the second round of the talks will be conducted on 1
and 2 of November followed by the third round in the mid of the month. All are
in the presidential palace in Bogor.
Muslim rebels in Thailand have never expressed themselves publicly or
responsibility for the frequent deadly strikes since the latest violence
occurred in the country's some southernmost provinces four years ago.
In July, Thai authority announced ceasefire, but then it was dismissed as
violence did not stop.