Details of Thai-Proposed Road Map

DVB (Democratic Voice of Burma) has learned about some facts concerning the
Thai government's proposed "road map" for restoration of democracy in Burma. The road map involves two paths - one is internal dialogue and the other is the SPDC (State Peace and Development Council) discussing and implementing the suggestions of the international community with other parties including the military.

A source told DVB that the two paths emerged because the SPDC has clearly
indicated that they would not accept direct intervention by the international community in Burma's political transformation process. At present, the Thai government is pushing to implement the second path urging the SPDC government to attend international forums and to accept Thailand's sponsorship. To realize this point, the Thai government is planning to sponsor an international forum to discuss Burmese affairs before the ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) summit in October and on the other hand, it is actively canvassing support from China, Japan, EU, and the US apart from the ASEAN countries to attend the forum. Sources told DVB that the Thai government is also persuading the SPDC to attend the meeting in an official manner.

As for the participation of the Burmese opposition groups, plans are under way to hold open discussions to suggest on the Thai government's proposed road map. As a first step, a closed-door meeting of Thai Foreign Ministry officials, Burma experts, and some Burmese opposition leaders will be held at Chulalongkorn University in Bangkok on 14 August to brainstorm on some of the initial ideas of the road map.

The man who is leading the ministerial road map team is Mr Varasakdi Futrakul, deputy permanent secretary of the Thai Foreign Ministry, who was the Thai ambassador to Burma in the early 1990s and a career diplomat. He was in Rangoon last week where he had further discussions with the SPDC leaders. Some of the details of the road map are,

1. To release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi

2. To rebuild confidence

3. To draft a constitution

4. To share power

5. To hold elections

Although no definite timeframe has been set for transition to democracy, it is clear that the military government must cease and Burma must become a full-fledged democracy before 2006 when Burma would take over the chairmanship of ASEAN. The road map includes means, which will be put in place, to measure the changes and international sanctions against Rangoon will be lifted base on the changes.