YANGON, Jan. 18 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar began holding the first national race-oriented political dialogue Wednesday between the government, armed groups and political parties in Hpa-An in the country's southeastern Kayin state.
The dialogue involving Kayin National Union (KNU), KNU/KNLA (Peace Council) and Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army (DKBA) will last until Friday.
The three armed groups are among the eight signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) initiated with the government on Oct. 15, 2015.
Myanmar's first region-oriented national political dialogue had begun separately in three areas of Tanintharyi region, southernmost of the country, early this month and the dialogue for the whole region will be finalized on Jan. 23-25.
The subject-oriented political dialogue will follow in Nay Pyi Taw Council area.
The outcome of all regional dialogues will be submitted to the Second Panglong Peace Conference expected by February this year.
The Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC), chaired by State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, on Dec. 30 last year formed three supervision committees for holding political dialogues at national level for Kayin state, Tanintharyi region and Nay Pyi Taw Council Area respectively.
Under the working process of political dialogues, race-oriented political dialogues are to be held in Kayin state, region-oriented political dialogues in Tanintharyi region and subject-oriented political dialogues, also known as civil society organizations (CSO) Forum, be in Nay Pyi Taw Council Area.
