Roadmap still in balance

Embattled Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva spent yesterday working to convince all parties to support his five-point road map for national reconciliation - while major supporters, the yellow shirts, strongly opposed him and rival red protesters demanded he take all stakeholders into an accord.

The PM managed to keep his ruling Democrat Party in order after a meeting to explain his plan to steer the country out of the political crisis. Party chief adviser and former prime minister Chuan Leekpai, who was earlier upset with the plan, agreed to throw his support behind Abhisit to move on.

Abhisit badly needed to overcome two major obstacles: the government supporting People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD), and the red protesters' Democratic Alliance Against Dictatorship (DAAD), both of which were making extreme demands on his government.

The yellow wearing PAD condemned the prime minister for skirting around his job in order to work out a deal with the red shirts, whom they deemed as terrorists.

 "The road map for reconciliation is, in fact, a shameful deal which will spawn the growth of terrorist and anti-monarchy activities nationwide," the PAD said in its statement.

PAD leaders, including Chamlong Srimuang, Somsak Kosaisuk and Pipop Thongchai, were present in full force when their spokesman Suriyasai Katasila read out the statement.

Suriyasai urged Abhisit Vejjajiva to reconsider and put his road map on hold. The only alternative was for Abhisit to step down in order to allow a more qualified leader to rein in the red shirts, he said.

A  major PAD concern is that they don't want the banned politicians and red leaders to get amnesty.

Hours after the PAD press conference, its representatives met Abhisit to exchange views on the road map.

Prime Minister Abhisit promised the PAD not to grant amnesty to any persons or join hands with the opposition Pheu Thai Party to form a new government after an election, said PAD spokesman Panthep Puapongpan.

The PAD has its own New Politics Party (NPP) but Panthep said they did not discuss party matters with the prime minister and just conveyed NPP leader Sondhi Limthongkul's message of concern over safety of people if the government ran an early election.

Abhisit explained he would not dissolve Parliament for a new election as long as he was not confident in the people's safety- and would not amend the constitution for the benefit of politicians or his own Democrat Party, Panthep said.

Both sides did not reach common ground yesterday because they did not negotiate adjusting their stance but just simply exchanged views, said PAD leader Pipop Thongchai.

The PAD would accept the premier's view on discussions with other leaders and setting a plan to move later, he said.

Abhisit said after the meeting  he needed to clear the way with all concerned parties on the implementation of the road map. He would meet Dr Tul Sittisomwong, leader of multicoloured group today, to exchange views as the group remained in disagreement with the plan to dissolve the Parliament.

The government has nothing to clear with the red shirts as every thing was made clear to them, he said. "Unless the red shirts take part in the process, the road map will move on - but I would not dissolve the Parliament," Abhisit told reporters.

Also, the government would not negotiate with red leaders on an amnesty on  criminal charges, he said.

Red leader Natthawut Saikua said his group would continue its protest in the heart of the business district of Rajprasong until the government cleared the air for all concerned parties and their issues, notably Abhisit's major alliance with PAD on the road map.

In order to make the road map go smoothly, another red leader Jatuporn Promphan proposed all concerned parties, including the government, coalition parties, opposition party, the PAD, DAAD and the military sign an accord to accept the road map and the result of the next election.

The red shirts said they might disperse on May 15 but Abhisit said it was too far away.