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Roundup: Myanmar expects highest-level talks on domestic political issues

Xinhua, April 9, 2015 Adjust font size:

Proposed by Myanmar's parliament, the highest-level talks in the country are to take place in Nay Pyi Taw Friday to deal with domestic political issues including constitution amendment, general election and peace process.

It was confirmed by Information Minister U Ye Htut following a meeting of President U Thein Sein on Wednesday.

The talks will involve President U Thein Sein, Commander-in- Chief of the Defense Services Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing, opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, speaker of the Lower House U Shwe Mann and speaker of the Upper House U Khin Aung Myint and Upper House MP Dr. Aye Maung, who is Chairman of Arakan National Party (ANP) selected to represent ethnic nationalities.

The parliament's important motion to call for the talks was first put forward on Nov. 25 last year by a parliament member of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) and the proposal was re-made by the parliament in January this year.

Two days before the scheduled talks, U Thein Sein met political forces on Wednesday involving 44 persons to discuss the domestic political issues.

The 44-person meeting, the second of its kind after January's 48-person talks, focussed on three key points, namely peace process, holding of 2015 general election and political stability in the interim period before and after the election.

The participants expressed welcome on the recent preliminary signing of the finalized draft nationwide cease-fire agreement ( NCA), stressing the need to start a political dialogue before the general election planned for November.

President U Thein Sein said the transition period is a critical time for Myanmar and dialogue is a crucial step for all political forces of the country.

He also emphasized the need for the prompt formal signing of the finalized draft NCA after holding talks with stakeholders before the upcoming general election.

He also expressed belief that all legal political parties will contest the election, making it a historic event.

The Union Election Commission said it is making systematic preparation to show the international community a free and fair election.

The draft constitution amendment law is to undergo a nationwide referendum planned for May before the general election.

As to the peace process, peace negotiators of the Myanmar government and ethnic armed groups successfully concluded a draft NCA on March 30 after more than one year's seven rounds of negotiations and the draft accord was preliminarily signed in Yangon on March 31.

The preliminarily signed draft NCA is yet to be submitted to the top level of respective sides for adoption before it is formally signed. As far as the ethnic side is concerned, it is yet to hold an ethnic summit conference, expected by late this month to approve the draft and then the venue, the time and signatories of the two sides are to be designated for the formal signing.

The formally signed NCA is again to be further forwarded to the parliament for approval and a framework for political dialogue is also to be drawn within 30 days with the political dialogue to take place within 90 days, according to the draft NCA. Endi