Parliamentary Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann has backed a suggestion by National League for Democracy leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi for a high-level quadripartite meeting to discuss constitutional reform.
“Not only for constitutional reform, but for all matters of significance, dialogue held with goodwill among responsible leaders is important,” Thura U Shwe Mann said at a joint news conference with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi at the parliament in Nay Pyi Taw on March 26.
He was referring to a suggestion initially made by the NLD leader last November when she called for a meeting of President U Thein Sein, Thura U Shwe Mann, Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and herself to discuss amendments to the constitution.
“Without dialogue, it is not possible for those with different views to achieve compromise and reconciliation,” Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said at the news conference.
Thura U Shwe Mann said he encouraged dialogue because success could only be achieved by negotiation and cooperation.
“Without dialogue, we can become suspicious of each other,” said Thura U Shwe Mann, who is also leader of the ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party.
Commenting on the work of the 31-member constitution amendment implementation committee, he said the panel had been vague about what it had so far been able to achieve.
