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Myanmar president says peace process towards political dialogue opens

Xinhua, April 3, 2015 Adjust font size:

Myanmar President U Thein Sein said on Friday that peace process towards political dialogue will be opened once the finalized draft nationwide ceasefire agreement ( NCA) is formally signed after overcoming crisis.

U Thein Sein made the remarks in his regular and monthly radio speech to the nation.

Touching on Kokang affairs, U Thein Sein stressed that "As we are striving for the emergence of a new nation, efforts to achieve stability and peace in Kokang region is the key undertaking at this stage. Protection of the rights of national minorities is the prioritized undertaking. So we have to strive step by step for the political, economic and social stability and development for the Kokang self-administered zone."

He said that "At a time when it is necessary to have good relations with neighboring countries as well as super powers in the world, impact by such conflict on our country's strategic relations with them cannot be tolerated."

With regard to national education law amendment, he expressed regret and sadness that the efforts were made through protest, calling on all forces to take the lesson to encounter future probable incidents.

While allowing and honoring free activities under democratic system, he urged abiding by the existing laws and rules and regulations.

In anticipation of approaching Myanmar traditional new year, U Thein Sein called for efforts to create a better future for the young generation while striving for domestic peace and revival of socio-economic development.

Peace negotiators of the Myanmar government and ethnic armed groups successfully concluded negotiation of the draft NCA on Monday and the draft accord was preliminarily signed by the two sides' negotiators in Yangon on Tuesday, witnessed by the president as well as the United Nations Special Envoy Vijay Nambiar's Secretary and Chinese Foreign Ministry Special Envoy for Asian Affairs Wang Yingfan.

The preliminarily-signed ceasefire accord is yet to be submitted to the top level of respective sides for adoption before it is formally signed. Endi