Presentation in Myanmar's peace conference shows diversity: official

Presentation through paper readings group-wise on the third day of Myanmar's 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference on Friday showed some diversity among participants, U Sai Kyaw Nyunt, member of the Conference Convening Committee, told the press at the end of the day's session in Nay Pyi Taw in the evening.

U Sai Kyaw Nyunt is a representative of Shan Nationalities League for Democracy (SNLD).

The open debate also marked a major progress in transparency by making known to the public through all media, he said.

All participants aspired for peace and agreed to establish a democratic federal union. However, some groups suggested the establishment of one that base on racial identity, while some on geographical identity and still some on mixed identity, calling for the emergence of a constitution that represents the system, he said.

However, the military representative group insisted that the 2008 constitution envisioned the federal system, he added.

The free expression of desire by participants help further coordination by stakeholders to find out the answer, which remains a key point towards the success of the conference, participants also concluded.

The 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference of Myanmar, which aims to unite all ethnic nationalities and build a democratic federal union through dialogue, kicked off in Nay Pyi Taw Wednesday.

The four-day historical conference gathered about 1,600 representatives from the government, the parliament, the military, political parties, ethnic armed and non-armed organizations and civil society organizations. Enditem