Myanmar Government Eyes Political Talks with Rebel Groups in April
Myanmar Government Eyes Political Talks with Rebel Groups in April
Radio Free Asia, 25 Nov 2013
URL: http://www.rfa.org/english/news/myanmar/talks-11252013182637.html
The Myanmar government plans to hold a dialogue with ethnic rebel groups in April next year in a bid to seek an enduring political settlement to decades of armed conflict, a minister in President Thein Sein’s office said Monday.
The political dialogue will be held possibly after the signing of a nationwide ceasefire agreement that could be finalized in talks next month.
“The ethnic groups are asking for political dialogue, so we will have it started,” Minister Aung Min, the chief government negotiator in peace talks with the ethnic groups, told RFA’s Myanmar Service.
“I would like to start the political dialogue in April 2014 because we only have a one year period [before the 2015 elections].”
Aung Min explained that the peace process with rebel groups is “just beginning” and that the two sides would seek to lay down the foundation for a nationwide ceasefire agreement next month during a new round of talks in the Kayin (Karen) state capital, Hpa-An.
“After the meeting in December in Hpa-An, we will determine a date to sign a nationwide cease-fire agreement,” he said.
President Thein Sein’s government has signed cease-fire agreements with several rebel groups since being elected to power in 2011, and is racing to forge a standard pact covering all groups as part of a bid to speed up reforms after decades of military rule.
Government negotiators have said they want to get all of the rebel groups to sign the nationwide cease-fire together at a ceremony in Naypyidaw by the end of the year.
At the weekend, Myanmar's political parties and ethnic armed rebel groups wrapped up their first meeting as part of the peace process, with participants saying it had boosted trust in efforts to forge national reconciliation.
The meeting between leaders of the umbrella United Nationalities Federal Alliance (UNFC) rebel group and representatives from 11 opposition and ethnic-based political parties held their talks in neighboring Thailand’s northern Chiang Mai city.
Aung Min on Monday met three officials from the UNFC alliance of 11 ethnic armed groups—UNFC General Secretary Nai Han Thar, and vice presidents Abel Twet and David Thakapaw, who is making his first visit to Yangon in 35 years.
The trio was given safe passage during their three-day visit to the commercial capital. They also met with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday to discuss issues of peace and democracy.
The political dialogue will be held possibly after the signing of a nationwide ceasefire agreement that could be finalized in talks next month.
“The ethnic groups are asking for political dialogue, so we will have it started,” Minister Aung Min, the chief government negotiator in peace talks with the ethnic groups, told RFA’s Myanmar Service.
“I would like to start the political dialogue in April 2014 because we only have a one year period [before the 2015 elections].”
Aung Min explained that the peace process with rebel groups is “just beginning” and that the two sides would seek to lay down the foundation for a nationwide ceasefire agreement next month during a new round of talks in the Kayin (Karen) state capital, Hpa-An.
“After the meeting in December in Hpa-An, we will determine a date to sign a nationwide cease-fire agreement,” he said.
President Thein Sein’s government has signed cease-fire agreements with several rebel groups since being elected to power in 2011, and is racing to forge a standard pact covering all groups as part of a bid to speed up reforms after decades of military rule.
Government negotiators have said they want to get all of the rebel groups to sign the nationwide cease-fire together at a ceremony in Naypyidaw by the end of the year.
At the weekend, Myanmar's political parties and ethnic armed rebel groups wrapped up their first meeting as part of the peace process, with participants saying it had boosted trust in efforts to forge national reconciliation.
The meeting between leaders of the umbrella United Nationalities Federal Alliance (UNFC) rebel group and representatives from 11 opposition and ethnic-based political parties held their talks in neighboring Thailand’s northern Chiang Mai city.
Aung Min on Monday met three officials from the UNFC alliance of 11 ethnic armed groups—UNFC General Secretary Nai Han Thar, and vice presidents Abel Twet and David Thakapaw, who is making his first visit to Yangon in 35 years.
The trio was given safe passage during their three-day visit to the commercial capital. They also met with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi on Monday to discuss issues of peace and democracy.