Myanmar president calls for efforts to achieve peace

Myanmar President U Thein Sein Tuesday called on all stakeholders of the country to strive for domestic peace as early as possible.

Thein Sein made the call in his regular monthly address to the nation aired through state radio, reported Xinhua.

He said that despite efforts for peace by Myanmar's successive governments in the past, the armed conflicts in the country never ended.

'The historical lessons teach us that cease-fire is not enough to realise eternal peace. It should apply political means to settle the root cause of the armed conflicts,' he said.

He added that since taking office of his term of the government, peace talks were initiated with all ethnic armed groups for attaining genuine national reconciliation and domestic peace.

He was encouraged by the assurance of all armed groups that they will never secede from the Union of Myanmar.

He specially pointed out that domestic peace could only be achieved by the joint efforts of the government, the parliament, political force, civil organisations, the armed forces and the entire people.

He said arrangements were being made to sign a nationwide cease-fire accord soon which will be followed by the start of political dialogue to settle the root-cause of armed conflicts in the country.

Opening door to and welcoming political dialogue, he said, all-inclusive political process will be introduced for flourishing political culture.

Since the president's peace offer was extended in August 2011, a total of 14 armed groups have respectively signed preliminary peace agreements with the government at state or central level.