Myanmar gov't expects meeting for signing ceasefire

YANGON -- Myanmar government's peace negotiator has said meeting for signing nationwide ceasefire would be held in April, state media reported Monday.

U Thein Zaw, vice chairman of the government's Peace Making Committee, made the remarks when meeting with representatives of armed group of Mongla Special Region-4 in Mongla, Shan state Sunday which the government invited for joining other armed groups in peace negotiation.

U Sai Lin, chairman of the Mongla Special Region-4, voiced support for the peace process.

A joint statement of the two parties said both sides will adhere to the agreements that had been reached at the state level, agreeing to step up cooperation in the realization of peace and stability and development between the government and the group during the ceasefire period.

Both sides stressed need for a nationwide ceasefire to hold political dialogue for ensuring firm agreements and achieving genuine eternal peace.

They also emphasized the need to improve socio-economic life of ethnic people impacted by decades-long armed conflicts.

In the latest development, Myanmar government formed the Union Peace-Making Work Committee (UPWC) and National Cease-fire Coordination Team (NCCT) representing ethnic armed groups on March 10 and planned to draft a single text document for the nationwide cease-fire proposal ahead of expected Hpa-an Peace talks in Kayin State.

In late January, leaders of 17 ethnic armed groups in Myanmar held a six-day conference in KNU-controlled Law Khee Lar or Laywa, agreeing in principle to government's framework proposal for " first ceasefire, then political dialogue" to achieve domestic peace. The demand for political dialogue is stipulated in the armed groups' draft national cease-fire accord (NCA).

The Law Khee Lar conference was a follow-up of an earlier ethnic leaders' conference held in Laiza, northernmost Kachin state in October-November 2013, in which the ethnic leaders signed an 11-point framework agreement of their own. The framework had been presented to the first round of talks with the government in Myitgyina, the capital of Kachin state, for making nationwide cease-fire deal.

The government claimed it had reached individual cease-fire agreements with 14 ethnic armed groups since the president's peace offer was extended in August 2011.