Officials to attend forum on Myanmar

Officials to attend forum on Myanmar

BANGKOK (AFP): Three senior Thai officials will defy requests
from Yangon and leave this weekend for an international symposium
on Myanmar, officials said on Saturday.

Myanmar Foreign Minister Win Aung last month said in a letter
that Myanmar was opposed to Association of Southeast Asian
Nations states attending the March 5-6 meeting in Seoul, the
Bangkok Post reported.

But Noppadol Pattama, secretary to Thai Foreign Minister Surin
Pitsuwan, said he would not confirm Thailand had ever received
the letter and denied the meeting would alter regional policy
towards Myanmar's military government.

The symposium will be dedicated to brainstorming for solutions
to general problems rather than policy specifics, he said.

Along with Thailand, representatives from ASEAN states
Malaysia and the Philippines also attend the meeting, Noppadol
said.