The Thai government has not accepted any of the five demands made by the Barisan Revolusi Nasional (BRN) - as claimed by a senior figure in the separatist group, secretary general of the National Security Council (NSC) Paradorn Pattanathabut said on Thursday.
Lt Gen Paradorn was responding to a claim made by Hassan Taib, head of the peace talks team for the BRN, that the Thai side had accepted four out of five of the group's demands.
The NSC chief said Thai authorities were considering all five conditions proposed by the BRN, in order that peace talks can continue, but have not yet accepted any of them, as claimed by Hassan Taib.
LT Gen Paradorn said some of the BRN's conditions could be discussed to find acceptable resolutions, but that others, such as their fourth demand, which states that the Thai government must accept that Malayu Pattani people have rights to Pattani land, will need to be discussed carefully by the Thai side.
No acceptance of the BRN’s demands have been made at this time, he reaffirmed.
The BRN's five demands, announced through YouTube on May 24, 2013, call on the Thai government to recognise that the BRN represents the rights of the "Melayu Patani nation" in the peace dialogue, that Malaysia be acknowledged as a mediator in the talks, not a facilitator, that outsiders including other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference and non-governmental organisations be invited to witness the meeting, that the Thai government must accept that Malayu Pattani people have rights over Pattani land, and that all detained suspects be released.