Myanmar's parliament re-proposes holding six-party talks for constitution amendment

Myanmar's parliament on Thursday re- proposed holding six-party talks as soon as possible to work out a framework for constitution amendment, stressing that alternative talks are not what it hopes for, parliament sources said.

The parliament sent the message to President U Thein Sein in response to his Monday reply to the legislative body, in which he said he preferred to hold alternative talks which represent all national races, social organizations and political forces under a framework acceptable to all.

U Thein Sein insisted on "abiding by the decision of the parliament if the constitution amendment is carried out in accordance with the 2008 constitution," but warned that if the state constitution is amended by breaching the provisions, "it is against the rule of law."

A parliament's motion, put forward by a parliament member of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) on Nov. 25 last year, called for a six-party meeting involving the president, the defense chief, Aung San Suu Kyi, both two speakers of the Lower and Upper Houses and one ethnic representative.

The parliament's adoption of the motion, which was sent to the president for consideration, followed a five-party roundtable summit on Oct. 31, 2014, involving the government, parliament, political parties, the military and the Union Election Commission. However, The talks produced no specific outcome.

The president met some leaders of the country's political forces in Nay Pyi Taw on Jan. 12 to seek solutions to domestic political issues.

The 48-person meeting included the president, political leaders, ethnic affairs ministers and representatives of ethnic nationalities.

Meanwhile, before the 2015 general election planned for October/ November, a nationwide referendum on amendment of the constitution will be held in May.

Before the referendum, the parliament is to work out a draft constitution amendment law to undergo the nationwide referendum on whether the amendment will be adopted.

In this regard, both Houses had adopted the draft nationwide referendum law during the last session .

Myanmar's current 12th parliament session resumed in Nay Pyi Taw Monday, in which constitution amendment is among the many issues to be raised for discussion and adoption.