Ousted Thai PM Thaksin urges reconciliation

LONDON, Mar 2 (Reuters) The exiled former prime minister of Thailand said on Friday he was willing to participate in a process of national reconciliation after being ousted in a bloodless coup last September.

Thaksin Shinawatra told a conference in London he believed the Thai government would keep its promise to hold elections by the end of the year and that reconciliation would happen soon.

''Reconciliation is like clapping hands ... you cannot clap with one hand or by putting one hand far away. So every party concerned must sit down and help each other,'' he said.

His message to the Thai leadership was: ''Whatever I can (do to) be beneficial in reconciliation, let me know. I believe reconciliation in Thailand will happen soon.'' The coup leaders, calling themselves the Council for National Security, have set up a committee to probe alleged corruption and wrongdoing committed by Thaksin, his cabinet ministers and their families, but have yet to unveil evidence.

Thaksin said he would not return to Thailand yet because he wanted to give the government time to consider.

''I would like to look at this government in a positive way. I want it to be successful because it's my country,'' he said.

Shinawatra's replacement, Surayud Chulanont, said earlier this year that Thaksin could return to the country so long as he did not get involved in any political movement.

REUTERS SI KN2124