ETHNIC NATIONALITIES COUNCIL

NAY PYI TAW, 26 Feb—As the government of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar offered the olive branch and New Mon State Party (NMSP) requested to engage in dialogue, Union-level Peace-making Group comprised of Union Minister for Rail Transportation U Aung Min, Union Minister for Industry U Soe Thein, Union Minister for Electric Power No (1) U Zaw Min, Union Minister for Environmental Conservation and Forestry U Win Tun and Mon State Chief Minister U Ohn Myint arrived at Strand Hotel of Mawlamyine in Mon State on 24 February to sign an initial peace agreement and firstly negotiated with NMSP peace-making group led by U Nai Rawsa.

Mon State Economic Development Meeting held at Strand Hotel in Mawlamyine was attended by the Union ministers, the Mon State chief minister, NMSP peace-making group led by U Nai Rawsa, departmental personnel, entrepreneurs and scholars. The chief minister and the Union ministers discussed development of the state and answered queries by the entrepreneurs.

A dinner was hosted to the NMSP delegation for eternal peace where Mon State cultural troupe performed Mon, Kayin and PaO traditional dances. Union Ministers U Soe Thein and U Aung Min, on behalf of the President, presented 20 Sky Net receivers, gifted by the President as a gift for eternal peace, to Vice-Chairman U Nai Rawsa of NMSP peace-making group. The chief minister presented 10 Sky Net receivers and flower bouquet to CEC member of NMSP U Nai Talanyi and K 20 million to the fund of the party through the NMSP vice-chairman.

A ceremony to sign initial peace agreement held at the same venue yesterday was attended by Union-level Peacemaking Group comprised of Union Minister U Aung Min, Union Minister U Soe Thein, Union Minister U Zaw Min, Union Minister U Win Tun and State Chief Minister U Ohn Myint, Commander of South-East Command Maj-Gen Tin Maung Win, Deputy Minister for Border Affairs Maj-Gen Zaw Win, Mon State Security and Border Affairs Minister Col Htay Myint Aung, the general staff officer (Grade I) from Commander-in-Chief (Army) Office, the general staff officer (Grade I) (militia) of South-East Command, Mon State advocate-general and officials, NMSP peace-making group led by Vice-Chairman U Nai Rawsa and peace negotiators of both sides.

The five-fact state-level initial peace agreement reached by five-member State-level peace-making group led by Col Htay Myint Aung and five-member NMSP peace-making group led by NMSP CEC member U Nai Talanyi on 1 February was approved and singed in the presence of Union Ministers U Aung Min, U Soe Thein, U Zaw Min and U Win Tun and State Chief Minister U Ohn Myint from Union-level peace-making group.

The agreement is as follow:-

(a) Ceasefire by both sides.

(b) Formation of Union-level peace-making group and delegation for dialogue officially and negotiation of date, time and venue for talk.

(c) Opening of communication office (with no arm) at an appropriate site agreed by both sides.

(d) Negotiation will be made for holding arms beyond the areas agreed by both sides.

(e) Settlement at the sites agreed by both sides.

The Union-level peace-making group and NMSP peacemaking group signed four-fact Union-level peace agreement.

The agreement is as follow:—

(a) To observe ceasefire far and wide the nation, especially to end up armed conflicts causing in areas of national races.

(b) To start political dialogue within at most 45 days of ceasefire.

Allowing participation of contributors as observers,

(1) To start political dialogue between representatives of armed national races organizations and representatives of the government after ceasefire of all armed national races organizations. In case ceasefire is not secured with all the organizations till December 2012, to start the political dialogue between representatives of the ceasefire organizations and representatives of the government.

(2) To continue talks on national reconciliation, based on political compromises with participation of representatives of domestic national political parties and democratic forces.

(3) To initiate procedures for prompt implementation of agreement reached in the abovementioned dialogue.

(c) To work for stability and development of education, health and social sectors of the region in coordination with respective national races armed organizations and the government as the ceasefire comes into effect.

(d) General clauses: In periods of ceasefire and political dialogue,

(1) To have the right to communicate with the public and help each others.

(2) To have the right to communicate with domestic political parties.

(3) To have the right to communicate with news agencies and media. To inform the public of outcomes of political dialogue as required.

(4) To conduct negotiation in advance in communicating with the foreign diplomats.

(5) To not extend military strength in Mon State and related areas in period of ceasefire.

(6) To release all political prisoners remaining in the prisons and to free comrades of New Mon State Party in prisons with sympathy as well.

(7) To avoid forced labour by both sides, apart from volunteers. To seek solution for cases of people’s lands through coordination.

(Remark: If there is any other fact in addition to 10 abovementioned clauses, they will be put forward.)

Col Htay Myint Aung and U Nai Talanyi exchanged state-level initial peace agreement. Union Minister U Aung Min and U Nai Rawsa exchanged four-fact Union-level peace agreement. They posed for documentary photos.