General Chaichan Changmongkol also promised to complete gathering feedback from political groups within three months.

Meanwhile, Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said the junta would not allow political parties to assemble despite the reconciliation effort and opinion gathering.

Chaichan said that within the timeframe, the committee would consider proposals from all sides to seek common ground, but added that it would wait to see the data first. “This is not meant to buy time. And it’s not a political fixed match,” he said.

His panel welcomed opinions and ideas from all sides, he said, but added that the military was not party to domestic conflict.

He wanted everyone to look to the future and join forces to help the country. Chaichan said he was not worried that history would repeat itself in terms of what happened in 2014, apparently referring to the latest coup d’etat that resulted from long-standing political turmoil.

A final report resulting from talks between the conflicting parties would be forwarded to General Prawit for further deliberation, he |said.

Currently his committee is working to set up a sub-committee to be tasked with preparing for reconciliation, Chaichan said, adding that responsible agents are approaching academics and experts in the Armed Forces to sit on the panel.

Deputy PM Prawit, a key member of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), said yesterday that the appointments of the panel members should be finalised next week. After that, the panel would invite political groups and parties to join the reconciliation dialogue, he said.

A list of potential committee members that circulated earlier suggests it will be dominated by security officers such as chiefs of the Armed Forces and high-ranking officers in the Defence Ministry.

Some critics voiced concern that having such people on the panel would not foster a friendly environment for peace talks.

Prawit, however, said it should not be an issue. The Army was impartial and was not part of the conflict, he said, adding that the officers who will sit on the panel were all senior and mature.

He also stressed the importance of reconciliation, but said he had not personally reached out to anyone.

The deputy PM said he did not have any personal deals with anyone – that was the job of the committee preparing for reconciliation.

‘Resolutions not needed from parties’

In response to calls for the NCPO to loosen it grip on power and allow political parties to meet, Prawit said it was not necessary. The |reconciliation process did not need any official resolution from parties, only opinions on bringing about peace.

“Anyone can propose anything. It does not have to come from a party’s resolution,” Prawit said.

In related news, Suwit Maesincee, secretary of the super-committee to oversee reform, national strategies and reconciliation, met with key men in the National Legislative Assembly (NLA) to discuss the framework of his panel. They included NLA President Pornpetch Vichitcholchai, vice presidents Surachai Liengboonlertchai and Peerasak Porchit.

Suwit would be a key coordinator of all entities under the super committee, Pornpetch said.

The NLA will play a major role in the |legislation, which revolved around reform efforts and national strategies prescribed by |the referendum-endorsed constitution, and |reconciliation, Pornpetch said.

But its roles differ from an ordinary parliament as it has to follow the junta’s rule, which aims to reform and lay out national strategy |in order to achieve reconciliation before |returning power to the people, he |explained.

Pornpetch said the NLA must be proactive in assisting the government with legislative matters. He said it should not be difficult to reach conclusion since the entire scheme was overseen by the PM.

Meanwhile, former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra welcomed the government’s |reconciliation effort but said everything that should follow the rule of law and be done |without discrimination.

Phumtham Wechayachai, another key Pheu Thai member, said everybody first had to acknowledge the same definition of reconciliation before it could be achieved. He said for the party, reconciliation must be based on the rule of law and justice.

Both politicians agreed that the committee to be the middleman in the dialogue should be impartial.