PM Prayut's visit to Washington in October will focus on security and trade: Don

[webfact]

PM’s visit to Washington in October will focus on security and trade: Don

By THE NATION

 

 

AN OFFICIAL visit by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha to Washington in October would raise a wide range of topics for discussion with US President Donald Trump, Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai said yesterday, but he rejected US pressure on the military government to crack down on North Korean front companies in Thailand.

 

Prayut’s visit to the White House became an issue after Trump invited him in April, but the schedule has not been fixed since then. Trump invited leaders from several Southeast Asia countries, including the Philippines and Singapore, but unlike in Thailand, those leaders did not seem prepared to go immediately. Bangkok first floated the idea that the visit would be in July, but later said it had been postponed. 

 

Prayut said last week during a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson that he would go to the US in October, but Don then seemed ambivalent whether the trip could be arranged. 

 

He said yesterday that the impending meeting would cover facets of cooperation between the two countries, such as security, the military, trade and investment, as well as Thailand’s large trade surplus with the US.

 

While Tillerson’s visit last week highlighted sanctions resulting from Pyongyang’s nuclear ambitions, Don said Washington had not conveyed specifics about a crackdown on North Korean companies as the media had reported.

 

According to an AFP report released hours before Tillerson met Prayut, the acting US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian Affairs, Susan Thornton, said the US wanted Thailand to crack down on North Korean firms, tighten visa requirements for North Koreans entering Thailand and squeeze the country diplomatically.

 

Don denied the report. “The US stance is to denuclearise North Korea,” he said. “As an Asean member, we support further dialogue to work on the issue.”

 

An official with the US Department of State told The Nation that Washington was seeing unprecedented levels of cooperation from the international community in response to North Korea’s “unlawful and provocative” actions. 

 

Responses by the international community include new sanctions, the reduction of diplomatic engagements, the expulsion of North Korean diplomats and workers, and the interdiction of arms and other shipments around the world, he said.

 

The international community had made clear that North Korea would face consequences for its continued circumvention of UN Security Council sanctions, the development of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery, and violations of UN resolutions, the US official said.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30323909

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-16

[Ossy]

'GO - STOP - GO - STOP - GO' - Act 4; scene 76 in the world's longest-running farce, 'Soldiers Pretending to be Statesmen'

 

It would appear that US President Trump sees neither harm nor wrong in playing host to Thai junta leader, General Prayut in a couple of months time; unless the meeting is postponed again, that is. World reaction to this apparent condoning of human rights violations will, I'm sure, make the bigger media headlines.

 

Bangkok first floated the idea that the visit would be in July, but later said it had been postponed. Had Prayut got wind of Trump's over-zealous hand-shaking or was he just wanting to stay close to the Supreme Court distractions? There had to be some good reason for this Trump snub.

 

Prayut said last week, during a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, that he would go to the US in October, but Foreign Minister Don then seemed ambivalent whether the trip could be arranged. 

 

He said yesterday that the impending meeting would cover . . . . etc., etc

 

Does the cast of this tiresome farce have the slightest idea of where they are going or what they are trying to achieve, other than to see the ousted PM behind bars, thus, they hope, easing their passage towards Act 5: 'Soldiers Doing Whatever it Takes to be Popular Politicians'?

 

Will there be a meeting - or an ethical election for that matter? That is already nearly two years later than was originally announced (Oct 2015) and now we're told '2018, pending constitution squabbling'. . . the world awaits.

[Baerboxer]

12 minutes ago, DavidHenryPilkington said:

'GO - STOP - GO - STOP - GO' - Act 4; scene 76 in the world's longest-running farce, 'Soldiers Pretending to be Statesmen'

 

It would appear that US President Trump sees neither harm nor wrong in playing host to Thai junta leader, General Prayut in a couple of months time; unless the meeting is postponed again, that is. World reaction to this apparent condoning of human rights violations will, I'm sure, make the bigger media headlines.

 

Bangkok first floated the idea that the visit would be in July, but later said it had been postponed. Had Prayut got wind of Trump's over-zealous hand-shaking or was he just wanting to stay close to the Supreme Court distractions? There had to be some good reason for this Trump snub.

 

Prayut said last week, during a meeting with US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson, that he would go to the US in October, but Foreign Minister Don then seemed ambivalent whether the trip could be arranged. 

 

He said yesterday that the impending meeting would cover . . . . etc., etc

 

Does the cast of this tiresome farce have the slightest idea of where they are going or what they are trying to achieve, other than to see the ousted PM behind bars, thus, they hope, easing their passage towards Act 5: 'Soldiers Doing Whatever it Takes to be Popular Politicians'?

 

Will there be a meeting - or an ethical election for that matter? That is already nearly two years later than was originally announced (Oct 2015) and now we're told '2018, pending constitution squabbling'. . . the world awaits.

 

 

The US, Secretary Clinton's watch, allowed Thaksin a visa, despite normally declining criminals.

 

The US, President Obama visited Yingluck but never invited her to visit the US.

 

President Trump invites the current PM, who leads a Junta.

 

 

Nothing unusual about unusual US behavior. Whatever suits!

Edited August 16, 2017 by Baerboxer

[Lupatria]

[YetAnother]

1 hour ago, DavidHenryPilkington said:

but Foreign Minister Don then seemed ambivalent whether the trip could be arranged. 

well, some people are in the wrong jobs; all the leadership principals in this story seem inept

[Srikcir]

10 hours ago, webfact said:

“As an Asean member, we support further dialogue to work on the issue.”

 

"As a surrogate for China, we support all talk and no action on the issue."