Government, NCCT okay second ceasefire draft

Government, NCCT okay second ceasefire draft

By Wa Lone and Ye Mon   |   Monday, 26 May 2014

A second draft of a ceasefire text was completed following three days of discussions between the government peace negotiation team and the representatives of armed ethic groups, which ended on May 23 in Yangon, as the two sides work toward a nationwide ceasefire officials hope could be completed soon.

Colonel Khun Okkar, a member of the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordinating Team, speaks to reporters on May 22 in Yangon. Photo: Yu Yu

A joint statement issued by the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) and the government's Union Peace-Making Work Committee (UPWC), hailed the most recent round of talks as both "open and friendly".

This second draft was based on an initial draft the two sides approved during the first round of talks in Yangon in held in early April.

While representatives of the government and ethnic armed groups were happy with completing the draft they said there were still points that would need to be discussed among leaders from both sides before the two meet again. The groups have agreed for their next meeting to take place in June.

Lieutenant-General Thet Naing Win said that the government hoped to finalise the single text ceasefire draft at this June meeting, but also said that the government side will be prepared to negotiate if some of their submissions to the draft were not accepted.

The government's chief peace negotiator, U Aung Min, said all the submissions from both sides [government and ethnic] could be discussed in the nationwide ceasefire draft before it is finalised.

Once the ceasefire is signed, the groups will move towards a political dialogue, which will include some of the most contentious issues between the sides, including a military code of conduct and relocation troops from ethic areas, according to Phado Saw Kwal Htoo Win, leader of the NCCT.

Looking forward, U Hla Maung Shwe, senior advisor of Myanmar Peace Center, said that it would be important for a political dialogue to begin in a timely manner after the ceasefire is signed.

Source: http://www.news.myanmaronlinecentre.com/2014/05/27/government-ncct-okay-second-ceasefire-draft/