National-level political dialogue to be arranged in coming months in Myanmar

Myanmar is arranging to hold a national political dialogue in the coming months with regional dialogues to be launched first within a week, the official paper Global New Light of Myanmar reported Sunday.

The Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) said preliminary meetings for the national political dialogue will be held in December or January and they are working with the Kayin National Union (KNU), Kayin National Liberated Area (KNLA) and the Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army (DKBA) for the dialogue.

The outcome of the dialogue will be submitted to the Second Panglong Peace Conference next February in accordance with the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA).

The Myanmar government has agreed to four out of eight points demanded by non-ceasefire signatory armed groups, represented by the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), at a meeting in Yangon in October, leaving the remaining four points for further negotiation.

The concession was aimed at paving the way for non-signatory armed groups to join the NCA.

However, the outbreak of military conflicts in the border area of northern Myanmar's Shan State on Nov. 20 has delayed the peace process.

Regional dialogues between the government, armed groups and political parties are slated to be held in Kayin State, Tanintharyi Region and Nay Phi Taw Council, the report said. Endit