Myanmar president pledges to continue peace process with armed groups

APD

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Myanmar President U Thein Sein pledged on Tuesday to carry on domestic peace process with those armed groups who are in readiness to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA).

In his regular monthly radio speech to the nation, U Thein Sein, however, reiterated that door will be open to the remaining armed groups, who are not yet ready to sign the NCA, to join the peace process later.

Myanmar government and some ethnic armed groups agreed on Sunday to set Oct. 15 for the formal signing of the NCA in Nay Pyi Taw.

During talks between the government's Union Peace Making Work Committee (UPWC) and eight armed groups out of 15 invited by the government for attendance at the Myanmar Peace Center in Yangon in the weekend, seven implied their willingness to sign the NCA as advance signatories.

The seven armed groups are Kayin National Union (KNU), Kayin National Liberated Army(KNLA)-Peace Council, Pa-O Nationalities Liberation Organization (PNLO), All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF), Chin National Front (CNF), Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) and Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army (DKBA).

Speaking of the upcoming general election, U Thein Sein stressed that the election is an important turning point for the country's transition to democracy.

He urged acceptance broadmindedly of the result yielded from the polling as people's genuine desire.

To be participated by 91 political parties and more than 300 independents, the 2015 general election has been set to take place on Nov. 8. Enditem