Negotiation between UPMW and armed ethnic groups. (Source: Xinhua/VNA) Myanmar President U Thein Sein committed on October 6 to continuing the peace process with armed groups who are ready to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA).
In his monthly radio speech, he reiterated his open door policy for armed groups who are not prepared for the NCA signing to take part in the process later.
Earlier, the Myanmar government and a series of armed ethnic groups agreed to sign the NCA on October 15. The decision was made after negotiations took place in Yangon between the Government’s Union Peace Making Work Committee (UPMW) and eight armed groups invited by the government to attend.
President U Thein Sein underscored the upcoming election, scheduled for November 8, is an important turning point in the country’s transition to democracy.
Myanmar’s peace process negotiations started in November 2003 during a meeting between the UPMW and the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) of the armed groups in Myitkyina capital of Kachin state. The last negotiation round took place in Yangon in August.-VNA
