Second draft single text to be finalized in June:UPWC-NCCT meeting
Second draft single text to be finalized in June:UPWC-NCCT meeting
The New Light of Myanmar, 27 May 2014
URL: http://www.myanmar.cm/newspapers/the-new-light-of-myanmar.html
Following three days of talks between the Union Peace-Making Work Committee-UPWC and the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Meeting-NCCT, a joint statement released on Friday stated that a single text document for a nationwide ceasefire agreement has been approved with a second draft document set to be finalized in June.
Both sides stressed in the joint statement that “great strides are being made in pursuit of political dialogue” with the nationwide ceasefire agreement to be signed as soon as the text is finalized.
According to the statement, the second draft single text document was approved at the meeting on
Friday, with the next meeting to be held at Myanmar Peace Centre in Yangon in June.
In his concluding speech at the final day of the meeting, Union Minister U Aung Min, UPWC Vice-Chairman, vowed to support and provide necessary assistance to a planned summit of leaders of ethnic armed groups. He also said that the coordination meeting can be declared a constructive one as full and frank discussions were held on approving the second draft.
During a media briefing, Pado Saw Kwe Htoo Win, NCCT’s deputy leader (1), and U Hla Maung Shwe of MPC confirmed that more than half of the 45 points on which both sides had focused during the meeting were approved, with a consensus on the remaining points expected to be reached at the next meeting.
The officials expressed their belief that participants to the next meeting will be able to translate the third draft into a final one, paving the way to sign a ceasefire agreement and hold political dialogue.
According to Pado Saw Kwe Htoo Win, a conference by ethnic armed groups will be held before the next UPWC-NCCT meeting.
Union Minister Lt-Gen Thet Naing Win, one of the representatives from the Armed Forces, called on all national ethnic leaders to make more efforts for sooner completion of the process.
In an interview with local reporters, Dr Salai Hlyan Hmon Sar Khaung said the NCCT explained the meaning of a genuine federal union based on democracy, equality and self-determination to the UPWC at the meeting, clearly stating that self-rule proposed by ethnic groups is not a secession attempt. Both sides at the meeting agreed the whole process will continue outside Hluttaw, he added.
The UPWC-NCCT meeting on drafting the text was held at Myanmar Peace Centre in Yangon and began Wednesday, with officials saying it helped to “build more mutual understanding between the government and ethnic armed groups.”
Both sides stressed in the joint statement that “great strides are being made in pursuit of political dialogue” with the nationwide ceasefire agreement to be signed as soon as the text is finalized.
According to the statement, the second draft single text document was approved at the meeting on
Friday, with the next meeting to be held at Myanmar Peace Centre in Yangon in June.
In his concluding speech at the final day of the meeting, Union Minister U Aung Min, UPWC Vice-Chairman, vowed to support and provide necessary assistance to a planned summit of leaders of ethnic armed groups. He also said that the coordination meeting can be declared a constructive one as full and frank discussions were held on approving the second draft.
During a media briefing, Pado Saw Kwe Htoo Win, NCCT’s deputy leader (1), and U Hla Maung Shwe of MPC confirmed that more than half of the 45 points on which both sides had focused during the meeting were approved, with a consensus on the remaining points expected to be reached at the next meeting.
The officials expressed their belief that participants to the next meeting will be able to translate the third draft into a final one, paving the way to sign a ceasefire agreement and hold political dialogue.
According to Pado Saw Kwe Htoo Win, a conference by ethnic armed groups will be held before the next UPWC-NCCT meeting.
Union Minister Lt-Gen Thet Naing Win, one of the representatives from the Armed Forces, called on all national ethnic leaders to make more efforts for sooner completion of the process.
In an interview with local reporters, Dr Salai Hlyan Hmon Sar Khaung said the NCCT explained the meaning of a genuine federal union based on democracy, equality and self-determination to the UPWC at the meeting, clearly stating that self-rule proposed by ethnic groups is not a secession attempt. Both sides at the meeting agreed the whole process will continue outside Hluttaw, he added.
The UPWC-NCCT meeting on drafting the text was held at Myanmar Peace Centre in Yangon and began Wednesday, with officials saying it helped to “build more mutual understanding between the government and ethnic armed groups.”