Myanmar’s gov’t and parliamentary group meet to discuss current peace process

Speaker of Myanmar's parliamentary House of Representatives Representatives (Lower House) U Shwe Mann (C) speaks during the rare joint meeting in Yangon, Myanmar, July 21, 2013. (Photo : Xinhua/U Aung)

Myanmar’s government and parliamentary peace making group met at the Myanmar Peace Center here Sunday to discuss the current peace process.

The rare joint meeting was participated by Speaker of House of Representatives (Lower House) U Shwe Mann, Chairperson of the House’s Committee for Rule of Law and Tranquility Aung San Suu Kyi and Vice Chairman of the Central Peace Making Work Committee U Aung Min, who is also Minister at the Presidential Office.

Chairperson of the House's Committee for Rule of Law and Tranquility Aung San Suu Kyi (C) attends the rare joint meeting in Yangon, Myanmar, July 21, 2013. (Photo : Xinhua/U Aung)

It was also the first time for opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to be involved in the government’s peace talks. Special Adviser to the Myanmar Peace Center U Hla Maung Shwe quoted Aung San Suu Kyi as saying that Myanmar should make use of the international assistance extended to the peace process, and attach importance to the judicial and rule of law affairs in the peace building.

Photo taken on July 21, 2013 shows the scene of the rare joint meeting in Yangon, Myanmar. Myanmar's government and parliamentary peace making group met at the Myanmar Peace Center here Sunday to discuss the current peace process. (Photo : Xinhua/U Aung)

U Aung Min, who is also chairman of Myanmar Peace Center, told Xinhua that he expected political talks to follow after reaching nationwide ceasefire with ethnic armed groups, in which legal matters will be raised requiring involvement of the parliament.

The government claimed that 10 out of 11 ethnic armed groups have signed preliminary peace pacts with local or central government since President U Thein Sein called for peace talks in August 2011. <Xinhua/NEWSis>