Fourteen points from the third session of the Union Peace Conference (21st Century Panglong) have been adopted as part two of the Union Accord on the last day of the conference at MICC2 in Naypyidaw.
“By signing part two of the Union Accord, the third session of the Union Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong has reached another milestone successfully. In part two, there were only fourteen basic principles but it is a happy and praiseworthy outcome for us, as it was obtained through discussions at the UPDJC meetings and the conference based on papers submitted from the national-level political dialogues and groups,” the State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said as she expressed her gratitude at the closing ceremony.
Dr Tin Myo Win from the government group, U Aung Soe from the hluttaw group, Maj-Gen San Myint from the Tatmadaw group, Dr Salai Lian Hmung Sakhong from the EAO group, and U Thu Wai from the political parties group signed 14 points as part of the Union Accord.
U Htone Phoo Dagon, ethnic representative of the government group, Nan Say Awa, ethnic representative of the EAO group, Tar Myint Kyaw, ethnic representative of the political parties group, U Kyaw Win, relevant representative of the government group, U Hla Kyaw Aung, relevant representative of the EAO group, and Nan Kham Ohn, relevant representative of the political parties group signed as witnesses.
“At the same time, we were able to discuss and issue a declaration of the conference, so that the hopes of the ethnic nationals and people who are monitoring the 21st Century Panglong Conference do not become dimmed,” said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi.
The declaration of the conference includes the plan to hold another session of the conference will be held in 2018 and two sessions in 2019 and establishing the basic principles relating to democracy and federal as the basic foundation.
“Aiming toward non-disintegration of the Union, non-disintegration of national solidarity and perpetuation of sovereignty, based on freedom, equality and justice and in accordance with the Panglong spirit, the Union Peace Conference-21st Century Panglong delegates will continue to strive toward establishing a Union based on democracy and federal system that assures democracy, national equality and self-determination rights,” Padoh Saw Kwel Htoo Win, the panel chairman, said as he read the declaration of the conference.
A total of 1,112 people comprising 700 delegates from all groups, 29 specially invited guests, 204 observers, 27 facilitators and 152 support group members attended the conference and women account for 22 percent of the attendees.