NAY PYI TAW, Oct. 15 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi on Sunday reiterated the government's welcome of non-signatory armed groups to the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) to join in the peace process by being inclusive in formulating the principles toward a democratic federal union in the future.
Aung San Suu Kyi, who is also chairperson of the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC), made the remarks in her opening speech at a ceremony in Nay Pyi Taw marking the second anniversary of the signing of the NCA between the government and eight ethnic armed groups out of 15.
The NCA was initiated on Oct. 15, 2015 during the previous U Thein Sein's government tenure.
There will be a third meeting of 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference scheduled for later this year, during which unfinished fundamental principles on federalism, and the formulation of new principles will be discussed, Aung San Suu Kyi said.
The country plans to hold two meetings of the peace conference in 2018.
She expects that at the upcoming third meeting of the peace conference, all the fundamental principles on federalism will be finalized, calling for continuation of dialogue on the division of power, allocation of resources and revenue between the union, states and regions and the power sharing described in the constitution.
Agreeing that a federal system is the only solution for the internal armed conflict which has been unresolved under successive governments, Aung San Suu Kyi warned that the opportunity to end the conflict by political means is in the hands right now, adding that the people of Myanmar have great expectations on the upcoming Panglong Peace Conference.
She called for continuing the ceasefire mechanism, braving both in thoughts and action and walking towards ending all wars and conflicts in the country.
Following the initiation of the NCA between the government and the eight ethnic armed groups in October 2015, Myanmar's incumbent government had held the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference for two times respectively in August 2016 and May 2017.
The second meeting of the Panglong Peace conference was able to incorporate a total of 37 adopted principles into a union accord in the country's peace process for the first time in Myanmar's history.
Attending the event were also President U Htin Kyaw, Vice Presidents U Myint Swe and U Henry Van Thio, Commander-in-Chief of the Defense Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and General Saw Mutu Sae Po, who is chairman of the Kayin National Union (KNU) and represents signatory armed groups to the ceasefire agreement.
