Anti-government protesters in Thailand have broadly backed a reconciliation plan outlined by prime minister Abhisit Vejjajiva but objected to proposed November elections.
Their reaction has casted doubt an offer designed to end a two-month crisis that has paralysed the state's economy.
Leaders of the red-shirted supporters of ousted former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who had been demanding an immediate election, said they had unanimously agreed to enter into a reconciliation process proposed by the government yesterday to heal festering social and political divisions.
But several leaders objected to prime minister Mr Abhisit's proposal for a November 14th election - a central sticking point in the proposal to end anti-government protests that have killed 27 people and wounded nearly 1,000.
"We have agreed to enter the reconciliation process unanimously. We don't want any more loss of lives," said Veera Musikapong, chairman of the United Front for Democracy Against Dictatorship, as the protest movement is known.
"We are suspicious about the timeframe which is within the power of the election commission and not the prime minister," he told thousands of supporters in their fortified encampment in Bangkok's main commercial district.
The timing of when Mr Abhisit dissolves parliament and holds elections is critical.
"We want Abhisit to come back to us with a clear parliamentary dissolution date instead of an election date and we will meet and consider it again," another protest leader, Jatuporn Prompan, told Reuters.
Earlier on Tuesday, Thailand's benchmark stock index ended 4.4 percent higher as investors focused on a possible end to a stalemate that shattered tourism and hurt foreign investment in one of Southeast Asia's most promising emerging markets.
The protesters, who broadly back Thaksin, a populist multimillionaire ousted in a 2006 coup, say Mr Abhisit lacks a popular mandate after coming to power in a parliamentary vote 17 months ago heading a coalition cobbled together with military help.
Mr Abhisit had previously offered to dissolve parliament in December, about a year before his term ends. In a televised statement last night, Mr Abhisit set five broad conditions for reconciliation that must be agreed before any election.
The first was that the revered Thai monarchy should not be dragged into politics or "violated". That follows government accusations some "red shirts" aim to overthrow the monarchy.
The other proposals call for reforms to address social injustice -- a key red shirt grievance -- an independent body to monitor media bias, an inquiry into recent political violence and reforms that could include constitutional amendments and a review of a five-year ban on politicians allied with Thaksin.
Reuters