24 November 2015•Update: 27 November 2015
YANGON, Myanmar
Myanmar's elected representatives have found common negotiating ground in advance of talks set to begin Tuesday aimed at building a long-term peace framework with eight rebel groups who signed a pre-election ceasefire.
The Myanmar Times reported that 16 delegates selected by the country's 86 political parties had met and agreed on a 14-point negotiating platform based on former peace talks outcomes.
Saw Than Myint, chair of the Federal Union Party, told the Times on Tuesday that “reaching a consensus, we were able to agree on 14 points that covered politics, the economy, social issues and defence.”
However, he underlined that the delegates were not limited solely to pre-agreed issues.
“If the eight armed groups make new proposals, we will add new agendas.”
The delegates will join 16 others from the military, government and parliament and two each from the eight ethnic rebel groups who signed the Oct. 15 nationwide ceasefire agreement to form the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee.
The committee is mandated to agree on a framework for political dialogue within 90 days of the ceasefire being signed.
Myanmar is attempting to bring an end to conflicts with over a dozen ethnic groups who have been fighting for greater autonomy from central authorities for decades.
The groups that signed the ceasefire represent an estimated 16,000 fighters, while there are 48,000 under the command of groups that refused to sign.
