‘21st Century Panglong Conference’ Set for Late July

...

‘21st Century Panglong Conference’ Set for Late July

The Irrawaddy, 20 May 2016

URL: http://www.irrawaddy.com/burma/21st-century-panglong-conference-set-late-july.html
RANGOON — The National League for Democracy’s push for peace with ethnic armed groups is expected to begin in late July, according to sources familiar with the matter.

At the office complex of the former Myanmar Peace Center in Rangoon on Thursday, the government committee making preparations for the so-called “21st Century Panglong Conference” met with the eight non-state signatories of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), a peace pact signed with Burma’s previous government in 2015.

“The committee explained that they would like to hold the conference by the end of July,” Khun Myint Tun, chairman of the Pa-O National Liberation Organization, told The Irrawaddy.

The framework for the conference is expected to build upon the political dialogue established by the previous government, according to NCA signatories. But, the committee will also invite 13 NCA non-signatories to work together on creating an agenda for the conference, the signatories said.
Suu Kyi is set to meet with the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) on May 27 and inviting NCA non-signatories to participate in framework drafting will be on the agenda, said Khun Myint Tun.

The UPDJC was charged with drafting the framework for political dialogue under the previous government, and is a tripartite body consisting of government-military representatives, as well as those from NCA signatories and political parties.