Former British PM advises ethnic groups to be patient
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Former British prime minister Tony Blair urged members of the ethnic Kachin and Kayin social organisations to be patient with the peace process during a brief, unscheduled visit to a meeting between the groups and the government's peace committee on Satur
“[We] weren’t informed that [Blair] was coming. We were called to meet with [President Office Minister] U Aung Min. While we were holding the meeting, [Blair] came and talked for about five minutes,” a coordinator from the Kachin Peace Network said. Blair urged them to have the courage to forget past events and be patient with the peace process.
An official from Myanmar Peace Centre, the meeting’s venue, said Blair asked to meet the ethnic representatives while meeting with Soe Thein, also Minister of the President’s Office, at a different location.
“The meeting started at 3pm and though it was going to end at 5.30pm, the former UK prime minister, who was meeting Soe Thein at another place, asked if he could pay a visit. We asked everyone for their permission for a short meeting with Tony Blair.” The official quoted Blair as saying he supported the peace talks and that those engaged in them should continue their efforts.
Saturday’s meeting between the government peace committee and members of Kayin social groups was the third, though it was the first meeting with Kachin social organisations.
About 50 members from Kayin groups and 10 members from Kachin groups attended the meeting.
