He added that such cooperation would be legally restricted to pro¬tect the freedom of movement of Swedish citizens and foreign exiles in accordance with Swedish laws.

Sweden is home to a number of exiled Muslim leaders from southern Thailand, including members of the Patani United Liberation Organisation (Pulo).

Pulo issued a statement last week telling the Thai government to talk to Pulo directly should it have any questions pertaining to Pulo's activities.

Thai military sources said a series of secret meetings had been held between them and exiled Muslim leaders, including some Pulo members, but the Foreign Ministry was left out of the picture. The meetings explored ways the two sides could work together to bring an end to the ongoing violence in the deep South.

Bildt met with Thai Foreign Minister Nitya Pibulsonggram on the sidelines of the 8th ASEM Foreign Ministerial Meeting in Hamburg, in which ministers from 44 countries and two international organisations are participating.

Nitya reassured the Asian-European community that the Thai general election will take place at the end of this year.

"The Royal Thai government is irreversibly and firmly committed to restoring a full-fledged parliamentary democracy within the shortest possible timeframe," said Nitya at the working luncheon.

Nitya added that with the new constitution, it is likely that the junta will hold a general election on either December 16 or 23.

During the two-day meeting, Nitya also had bilateral discussions with his counterparts from China, Singapore, Portugal, Hungary, Spain, Austria and the UK, in which he explained the pre-coup political situation and developments since then.

The Europeans expressed greater understanding after being briefed but their overall policy towards Thailand remained unchanged, Nitya said.

Led by Finland which, at the time of the coup, held the EU presidency, the EU issued two statements that voiced dissatisfaction over the political situation in Thailand and urged the military-appointed government to lift mar¬tial law and hold a general election as soon as possible. It also halted official bilateral events with Thailand.

Nitya also held a meeting with his Singaporean counterpart George Yeo during which they talked about the Asean Charter, which is scheduled to be finalised at the upcoming Asean Ministerial Meeting in the Philippines in July.

In discussions with Hungarian Foreign Minister Kinga Goncz, Nitya raised concerns over the possibility of the EU levying higher import tariffs on Thai corn and asked the Hungarian minister to consider the adverse effect that such a move would have on Thai producers.

by Sopaporn Kurz

The Nation

Hamburg, Germany