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Submitted by admin on 27 August 2020

Pyidaungsu Hluttaw held its 13th-day meeting of 17th regular session yesterday, approving the Union Accord Part III, signing the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Agreement.

Union Accord Part III

Union Attorney-General U Tun Tun Oo sought the approval of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw for the Union Accord Part III.

The Attorney-General said that the government and the ethnic armed organizations signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement on 15 October 2015, and it was approved by the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw on 8 December 2015; the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee was formed as per NCA with the President’s Office Order 48/2016, and it was chaired by State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, with the 48 members of Government-Hluttaw-Tatmadaw group, the ethnic armed organizations group and political parties group.

The UPDJC convened its 19th meeting on 17 August 2020 in Nay Pyi Taw, and submitted its agreements in three sections to the 4th session of Union Peace Conference—21st Century Panglong organized from 19 to 21 August this year.

The three sections in the Part III are: the Agreement 1— 15 points of the framework agreement on implementing the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, the Agreement 2— the stage-by-stage work programmes and step-by-step in the post-2020 and the Agreement 3 — the five-points agreement of fundamental principles to establish a Union based on democracy and federal system.

The Part III was signed by the representatives of relevant groups in accordance with Paragraph 20 (e) of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement, and it needs to be submitted to and ratified by the nearest session of the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw according to the procedures in the Chapter 8 of the Framework of the Political Dialogue, and the Paragraph 3 (l) of UPDJC work plan said that all the parts of Union Accord and the whole Accord will be submitted to and ratified by the nearest session of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw according to the procedures. After the discussions of the Attorney-General, the Hluttaw unanimously approved the Union Accord Part III.

BIMSTEC Agreement

The Hluttaw MPs then discussed the President’s proposal to sign the Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation (BIMSTEC) Agreement.

MP Daw Shwe Shwe Sein Latt from Bago Region constituency 3 supported the agreement, saying as it stipulates that the decisions of BIMSTEC could be made only by the consent of member countries, and it also prohibits interference in internal affairs of the member countries.

She also made suggestions that relevant Hluttaw committees are needed to closely work for required legislation and other cooperation in relation to the issues of the agreement.

MP Naw Hla Hla Soe from Yangon Region constituency 10 discussed that the agreement could promote cooperation among the member countries which already have relations in geographical situations, abundant natural and human resources, historic background and abundant cultural heritage.

She added that the agreement could help mutual cooperation among the member countries to fight against international terror acts and cross-border crimes, natural disaster and climate changes, as well as elimination of infectious diseases.

MP Dr Than Win from Mandalay Region constituency 1 discussed the BIMSTEC Agreement supported the agreement as it includes cooperation of member countries in trade, investment, transport, communications, energy, tourism sector, technology, fisheries sector, agriculture, culture, environmental and natural disasters, public health, social communications, poverty elimination, terrorism acts, cross-border crimes and environmental changes, while the agreement was developed on the basis of sovereignty, border demarcation, non-interference in internal affairs of other countries, peaceful co-existence and mutual interest for each other.

The topic was also discussed by MP U Ye Lwin from Ahlon constituency, MP U Maung Maung Ohn from Ayeyawady Region constituency 5 and MP U Kyaw Toke from Mandalay Region constituency 7.

Union Minister for International Cooperation U Kyaw Tin explained that Myanmar will sign the agreement with the approval of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw at the 5th session of BIMSTEC Summit that will be hosted by Sri Lanka.

The Hluttaw then announced the approval of Hluttaw for signing the agreement.

Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Joint Committee Secretary Dr Myat Nyana Soe represented the amending bill for controversial Law Protecting the Privacy and Security of Citizens.

The Speaker announced his Hluttaw will handle the bill in line with its law.

Vice–Chairperson of the Joint Public Accounts Committee U Aung Min tabled each paragraph of the Union Budget Bill for 2020-2021FY, and it was approved by the Hluttaw with the agreements of Union-level organization members.

Joint Bill Committee Secretary Dr Myat Nyana Soe also discussed each provision of Union Budget Bill for 2020- 2021FY.

Followed by the discussions of Deputy Minister for Planning, Finance and Industry U Maung Maung Win, the Hluttaw approved the whole bill.

The Hluttaw also put the bill to amend 1959 Defence Services Act into record.

The 14th day meeting of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw will convene on 28 August.

Aung Ye Thwin, Aye Aye Thant (Translated by Aung Khin)

PHOTO: MNA

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