The spokesperson for the European External Action Service took advantage of the start of the 21st Century Panglong Union Peace Conference on Wednesday 11 July to call for a halt to the fighting in several regions of Burma/Myanmar.
While the peace conference has provided "a valuable moment" each year for stakeholders to rally behind the peace process and "to provide it with fresh impetus", "challenges still lie ahead", the EEAS spokesperson stated in a press release on 10 July. "Ongoing clashes in several ethnic states result in continued human suffering. Fighting must cease and humanitarian assistance be allowed to reach all affected civilians without delay", the spokesperson said.
According to the EEAS spokesperson, the third session of the conference, which will be held until 16 July, "presents another opportunity for Myanmar to choose dialogue over fighting, and inclusion over divisions".
The spokesperson warned that as a formal witness to the nationwide ceasefire agreement, the European Union will continue to work with all stakeholders to overcome the challenges that remain, and "to accompany the people of Myanmar as they shape a democratic, peaceful future". (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)