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More efforts should be made for finalizing signing of NCA: Myanmar Kachin ethnic leader

Xinhua, April 5, 2015 Adjust font size:

Deputy Chief of Staff of the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) Major-General Guan Maw Sunday stressed that Myanmar government and ethnic armed groups should make more efforts to finalize the formal signing of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) which has been preliminarily signed by both peace negotiators.

In an exclusive interview with Xinhua, Guan Maw, who is also member of the central committee of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), said ethnic armed groups' Nationwide Cease- fire Coordination Team (NCCT) and the government's Union Peace- Making Work Committee (UPWC) overcame much difficulties to successfully conclude negotiation of a draft NCA after one year and five months negotiations.

The next step of formal signing NCA is of utmost importance which needs both sides make more efforts for it, Guan Maw said.

NCCT persisted that all ethnic armed groups should be inclusive in the signing of the NCA and the follow-up political dialogue to realize lasting peace in the country, he said.

The NCCT is also proposing to hold a summit conference participated by all ethnic armed groups to approve the draft NCA, he said.

He, however, added that the formal signing of the NCA is not possible by this month.

As to political dialogue after the ceasefire, he said, it still takes time to realize, including some hard issues to be discussed in the political talks.

When asked about China's "Belt and Road" initiative and regional cooperation, Guan told Xinhua that China is Myanmar's neighbor and a super power in the world as well as leader country in the region. China's advocation to build a modern maritime silk road and enhancement of regional cooperation are regionally and politically important measures, which are vital to regional stability.

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 President U Thein Sein 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