Special report: Crisis in Thailand  

    BANGKOK, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Representatives of the main opposition parties and the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) on Monday turned down the pre-conditions set by the ruling Thai Rak Thai party to participate in the March 24 public debate aimed to defuse the political tension, according to an independent election watchdog.

    The three-hour meeting was the first time that the three conflicting parties have met and held direct discussions.

    They agreed that the debate would be led by caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra; Abhisit Vejjajiva, leader of the opposition Democrat Party and Sondhi Limthongkul, Manager Media publisher as well as government critics.

    However, the opposition party and the PAD refused to accept Thai Rak Thai party's conditions that the demonstrations calling for Thaksin's resignation should stop temporarily and all parties must recognize the results of the April 2 general election, reported the Thai News Agency.

    The lack of progress of the talks disappointed the People's Network for Elections (P-Net), an independent election watchdog agency which has paid earnest efforts to broker the negotiation.

    P-Net coordinator Somchai Srisuthiyakorn said despite the failure of Monday's meeting, all sides still have time to reconsider other parties' proposals during Tuesday's meeting.

    But if the government's representative fails to show up, there will be no talks on March 24, he added. Enditem