Thai "red-shirts" rejects PM's offer for talks

BANGKOK, March 18 (Xinhua) -- The United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD), who are leading the red-shirted people in a massive anti-government rally in Bangkok, on Thursday rejected the Prime Minister's repeated offer to enter into negotiations.

According to Bangkok Post online, the UDD co-leader Jatuporn Prompan said there could be no talks as long as the government refuses to consider dissolving the House of Representatives and calling a general election as the protesters demanded.

Jatuporn said that UDD is ready for talks only when the government does set pre-conditions. Moreover, the UDD would talk only with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva, not his representatives.

"Forget about the talks, if a House dissolution is left out," he said.

Jatuporn said the UDD would not talk if the prime minister did not soften his uncompromising stance.

Earlier on Thursday, Abhisit said the government was open to talks provided that the UDD respects the law.

Abhisit had rejected an ultimatum made by red-shirts on Monday as the latter demanded one day earlier a House dissolution within 24 hours.

The talks offer was made as the UDD-led red-shirts are staging a mass rally in Bangkok in an attempt to topple the government.

Tens of thousands of red-shirted people, many of them supporters of the ousted ex-premier Thaksin shinawatra, have stormed into Bangkok since March 12, demanding the government to dissolve the parliament and to call a snap election.