Members of the government led Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) have agreed to hold the Union Peace Conference (also called the 21st Century Panglong Conference) twice a year, and for the first conference, non-signatory groups of the nationwide ceasefire agreement have been invited.
“The government and ethnic armed groups have reached an agreement at the UPDJC meeting to hold the conference every six months. Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has accepted all-inclusiveness,” said U Zaw Htay, a deputy director at the Ministry of President’s Office and conference preparatory committee member.
The decision was announced yesterday at the UPDJC meeting in capital Naypyidaw.
State Counselor and UPDJC Chairperson Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said: “Peace is vital for our country. There is no peace in our country because we are unable to fulfil the physical and mental needs of our citizens.”
During the next peace conference that is scheduled to take place from Aug. 31 to Sept. 4, no binding decisions will be made. Instead, each group will have a chance to discuss its views on security, politics, economics, social, environment and natural resources.
Reporting by Aik Sai for MNA
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI staff
