THE first-day meeting of fourth session the Union Peace Conference- 21st Century Panglong was held at Myanmar International Convention Center II (MICC-II) in Nay Pyi Taw yesterday afternoon.
The presiding panel of the first-day meeting was led by Chairperson of the Peace Commission Dr Tin Myo Win, with presiding panel members Tar Hla Pe, Lt-Gen Tin Maung Win, Pu Zing Cung and Dr May Win Myint.
In his opening speech, Dr Tin Myo Win said that there was a two-year gap between the third session and the fourth session of the peace conference because of obstacles. He said that there were many hurdles and challenges, so various approaches, including holding informal meetings and special meetings, were used to settle the differences.
He said that some matters could not be agreed in previous meetings, so top leaders who have the authority to make decisions had to organize special meetings to resolve the matters. He added that all possible approaches including “ten plus ten meeting” were used to overcome the obstacles. He continued that negotiations on not only political issues but also ceasefire and military matters were thoroughly conducted to achieve good results.
Dr Tin Myo Win pointed out that despite difficulties, it is very significant to maintain the route of negotiation and dialogue in order to settle differences and resolve obstacles.
He continued that the government proposed the “Ways Forward for Peace Process” on 13 June, 2019, and Ethnic Armed Organizations welcomed the process. He said that the NRPC Chairperson State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi announced three future peace processes and five federal principles in her opening speech at the ceremony marking fourth anniversary of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) held on 28 October 2019.
Dr Tin Myo Win said that the three future peace processes, which also emphasize on the subjects that should be included in the Part III of the Union Accord, and the five federal principles could facilitate peace talks that were postponed for a long time.
The 8th JICM meeting on 8 January 2020 could make eight resolutions, and the UPDJC and JMC meetings could also be restarted, and those meetings facilitated the fourth session of the Union Peace Conference–21st Century Panglong, according to Dr Tin Myo Win.
He said that the peace process is significant not only for making peace but also for building a Democratic Federal Union. He highlighted that despite different backgrounds of different groups in the conference, all have the same determination to build a Democratic Federal Union and the same wish to make peace process successful. In his closing remark, he urged all groups to exert greater efforts to bring about peace, which all citizens have expected.
During the first-day meeting, Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) Vice-Chairperson Dr Salai Lian Hmung Sakhong explained UPDJC’s report, and the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee - Union Level (JMC-U) rotating Vice-Chairperson Saw Mathew Aye explained JMC-U’s report.
Peace Commission Secretary retired Lt-Gen Khin Zaw Oo submitted a proposal on the NCA Implementation Framework; Arakan Liberation Party deputy leader Saw Mra Yazar Lin (UPDJC Secretariat member) submitted a proposal on step-by-step processes and implementation for post-2020; Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD) Joint General Secretary Sai Kyaw Nyunt (UPDJC Secretariat member) submitted a proposal on basic principles of building a Democratic Federal Union.
Pyithu Hluttaw MP U Pyone Cho (a) U Htay Win Aung announced detailed programme of the conference, and Maj-Gen Soe Naing Oo announced the rules that all representatives of the conference must follow.
Tar Hla Pe, a presiding panel member of the conference, delivered a concluding speech of the first-day meeting. In his speech, he said that a proposal has already been submitted for the matters related to signing the Part III of the Union Accord, which is the main task of the fourth session of Union Peace Conference.
He pointed out that if everybody genuinely yearns for peace and a Federal Union, the wish will be achieved. He concluded that after signing the Part III of the Union Accord in the conference, all stakeholders should build mutual trust, and exert efforts to reach long-lasting nationwide peace and to build a Democratic Federal Union.
MNA (Translated by Maung Maung Swe)
PHOTO: MNA
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