Myanmar gov't, armed groups drafting code of conduct for ceasefire signatories

APD

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The Myanmar government and eight ethnic armed groups out of 15 which have recently signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA), are drafting code of conduct for the signatories to observe, according to an official report Friday.

It is being drafted at a three-day meeting of their Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee at the Myanmar Peace Center here which began on Thursday and is expected to be approved during the meeting.

The code of conduct instructs troops from both sides on how to abide by the truce and will be written in both Myanmar and ethnic languages, the report said.

The Myanmar government and the ceasefired ethnic armed groups have formed two joint committees as part of the implementation of the NCA following their signing on Oct. 15.

The two joint committees are Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee which is to prevent recurrence of armed clashes, and the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee which is to facilitate political dialogue .

Both sides also agreed to strive for enabling other remaining armed groups which have not signed the NCA to take part and complete the peace process.

The two sides decided to meet again in mid-November and arrange political dialogue.

The two sides were set to draw up a political framework within 60 days after the formal NCA signing and start a political dialogue within 90 days.

The eight signatories of the armed groups are Kayin National Union (KNU), Kayin National Liberation Army (KNLA)-Peace Council, Pa-O Nationalities Liberation Organization (PNLO), All Burma Students'Democratic Front (ABSDF), Chin National Front (CNF), Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army (DKBA) and Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS)/Shan State Army-South (SSA-S). Enditem