Thailand’s road map plan

DVB ( July 30, 2003 )

The Burmese foreign minister, U Win Aung is meeting his counterpart the Thai foreign minister Mr. Surakhiat tomorrow in Bangkok and the two are expected to discuss ‘road map’ plan for Burma proposed by the government of the host nation and other problems between the two countries. DVB’s Aung Lwin Oo reports from Bangkok:

Aung Lwin Oo : When the SPDC foreign minister arrives in Thailand, the Thai government should demand the immediate release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, said Forum Asia, a human rights organisation based in Thailand.

The organisation’s secretary told the DVB that this is the condition for any dialogue and any meeting because if the SPDC is not releasing Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, there would be no political dialogue. When Thailand is building confidence with Burma it should also build confidence especially with the NLD and ethnic nationals.

Moreover, when the ASEAN is trying to improve the condition in Burma, it should concentrate on the promotion of democracy in accordance with human rights standards, and the release of political prisoners, insisted Forum Asia. The SPDC’s foreign minister’s diplomatic missions are time-money wasting efforts and meaningless. While Forum Asia is urging the Thai government thus, the Thai PM, Mr. Thaksin Shinawatra said that the foreign ministers of the two countries will be discussing the road map plan at the meeting.

Moreover, at a meeting held today at Maesod, a border town in the northwest of Thailand, an official from the foreign committee of the lower house of the Thai parliament revealed that in the road map plan there are some advice relating to the release of Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the future of Burma.