Reconciliation starts with compromise: Annan, Ahtisaari

Former UN secretary-general Kofi Annan and former Finnish president Martti Ahtisaari called yesterday for a Thai reconciliation process that allows for genuine participation by people of the divided Kingdom, and in which leaders of conflicting parties are willing to compromise.

The two statesmen met Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra on Friday, and spent their short time in the country trying to get to grips with Thailand's intricate political conflict. Their recommendations will be sent to the Truth for Reconciliation Commission of Thailand, which hosted their trip.

Annan and Ahtisaari, both Nobel Peace Prize laureates, told a joint press conference yesterday they came to Thailand to hear all sides of the story. Aside from the premier, their schedules included talks with other politicians, academics and the media.

Admitting that their stay was probably too short to get the most accurate picture, the two said every reconciliation process must start with willingness on the part of key figures to compromise.

They said the reconciliation process must take into account the importance of public participation. However, in a separate interview with Asean TV, Ahtisaari cautioned that if moves like the proposed charter changes threaten to widen conflicts rather than solve them, those in charge of the reconciliation process must be ready to decide whether they should proceed.

On the level of public input in the reconciliation process, Ahtisaari said: "It seems to me that everyone in Thailand wants to participate or play a role." He acknowledged that such moves as charter amendment could be supported by one side and opposed by another. He said any measure that threatens to amplify the conflict must be reviewed or even stopped.

Both he and Annan were given an assurance by Yingluck that her government placed the highest priority on the reconciliation plan and that it would carry out the process transparently with strong adherence to the rule of law, democracy and human-rights principles.

During their press conference yesterday, the two high-profile visitors cited South African icon Nelson Mandela as a good example of how a man at the centre of a national conflict could lead reconciliation through self-sacrifice and willingness to compromise. "They [key figures in the conflict] have to ask themselves, 'What should I do that will help the nation and people of Thailand?'" Annan said.

He and Ahtisaari are both well known for their roles in helping to bring about reconciliation in many countries.