No: 276, 16 October 2015

We welcome that the National Ceasefire Agreement whose negotiations have lasted nearly two years was signed between the Government of Myanmar and eight Ethnic Armed Groups on 15 October 2015.

We congratulate the parties on their conciliatory approach and hope that the armed groups, which have not signed the agreement yet, will become party to the agreement as soon as possible.

It is our sincere wish that the aforementioned agreement, which constitutes an important step towards putting an end to one of the world's longest-running internal conflict, will set the ground for an all inclusive political dialogue process as targeted and thus contribute to the establishment of lasting peace, strengthening of democratic gains and economic prosperity in Myanmar.