Thailand proposes regional Myanmar forum

BANGKOK, Oct 15 (Reuters) Thai Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont has asked UN special envoy Ibrahim Gambari to help broker regional talks on Myanmar to include 10 Southeast Asian nations, India and China, he said today.

Surayud said the forum -- similar to the six-party talks format used with North Korea -- would be discussed at a summit of leaders from the 10-nation Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) in November in Singapore.

''The talks should have no pre-conditions set,'' Surayud told reporters after meeting Gambari for an hourhe said.

Surayud said UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon wanted each ASEAN member to send a letter to Myanmar's generals asking them to allow Gambari visit again.

Gambari, in Bangkok at the start of a regional tour to drum up support for a coordinated front against the junta, urged the junta to stop arresting dissidents and release all political prisoners.

REUTERS SKB RK1450