Political parties, ethnic armed organisations to meet in Thailand
Political parties, ethnic armed organisations to meet in Thailand
Eleven Newsmedia, 11 Nov 2013
URL: http://elevenmyanmar.com/politics/4032-political-parties-ethnic-armed-organisations-to-meet-in-thailand
The government has organised a meeting of political parties’ leaders and ethnic armed organizations, to discuss the peace process, in Chiang Mai, Thailand before December.
The plan was confirmed by President’s Office Minister Aung Min, who spoke at a meeting of ministers and political party representatives at the Myanmar Peace Centre yesterday.
During the meeting, Aung Min provided a progress update on discussions between the government and ethnic armed groups recently held in Laiza and Myitkyina, Kachin State. He said the government is planning to hold the upcoming meet in Chiang Mai, Thailand where the headquarters of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) is located.
The government is planning to send batches of ethnic group and political party representatives to Chiang Mai to hold meetings with the UNFC.
“We don’t have any limitations on the discussion of political parties’ leaders and ethnic armed groups. All can freely hold discussions. Political parties will be sent to the headquarters of the UNFC,” said Aung Min.
Despite these comments, the government has yet to issue an official invitation to the discussions in Thailand, said Naing Tin Pe, a committee member of the All Mon Regions Democracy Party.
“This is the government’s plan, and we welcome it. We have very much wanted to meet the UNFC from the beginning, but we are not the government. We are just a political party. So far, the government has had no problem meeting with the UNFC, but we, the political parties, have been prevented from doing so. We must be very careful about this. So if the government plans us to do so, it is no problem to us,” said Nyan Win, spokesman for the National League for Democracy (NLD).
The plan was confirmed by President’s Office Minister Aung Min, who spoke at a meeting of ministers and political party representatives at the Myanmar Peace Centre yesterday.
During the meeting, Aung Min provided a progress update on discussions between the government and ethnic armed groups recently held in Laiza and Myitkyina, Kachin State. He said the government is planning to hold the upcoming meet in Chiang Mai, Thailand where the headquarters of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) is located.
The government is planning to send batches of ethnic group and political party representatives to Chiang Mai to hold meetings with the UNFC.
“We don’t have any limitations on the discussion of political parties’ leaders and ethnic armed groups. All can freely hold discussions. Political parties will be sent to the headquarters of the UNFC,” said Aung Min.
Despite these comments, the government has yet to issue an official invitation to the discussions in Thailand, said Naing Tin Pe, a committee member of the All Mon Regions Democracy Party.
“This is the government’s plan, and we welcome it. We have very much wanted to meet the UNFC from the beginning, but we are not the government. We are just a political party. So far, the government has had no problem meeting with the UNFC, but we, the political parties, have been prevented from doing so. We must be very careful about this. So if the government plans us to do so, it is no problem to us,” said Nyan Win, spokesman for the National League for Democracy (NLD).