Myanmar reconstitutes Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee

The Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) in Myanmar will be reformed with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi heading the 18-member body, said official sources on Friday.

At least three vice chairmen were nominated to the committee, namely U Kyaw Tint Swe, Padoh Saw Kwel Htoo Win and U Thu Wai, while former government peace negotiator U Hla Maung Shwe of the previous Myanmar Peace Centre will serve as secretary of the committee, Xinhua reported.

Suu Kyi said on the first day of the UPDJC meeting that the reconstituted committee will include some old members who are representatives from ethnic groups, political parties and the government.

Discussions on details of the reform will be continued during Saturday's meeting, which will also touch upon issues including the establishment of the new National Reconciliation and Peace Centre (NRPC) and preparation for the 21st Century Panglong Ethnic Conference in Nay Pyi Taw.

The previous Myanmar government and eight ethnic armed groups out of 15 signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) on October 15, 2015.

After that a union-level joint ceasefire monitoring committee was formed along with the tripartite UPDJC to draft a framework for holding political dialogue as part of the implementation of the NCA.

--IANS

py/vt