The first meeting between recently freed pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi and members of the Committee Representing the People’s Parliament (CRPP), a committee formed by Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy (NLD), took place on Friday afternoon.
The secretary of the CRPP, Aye Tha Aung, said following the meeting that the CRPP believes a Panglong-style conference is necessary to achieve national reconciliation and improve the country’s situation.

Speaking to The Irrawaddy on Friday, Aye Tha Aung said that those attending the meeting agreed that “the first step towards national reconciliation is to build unity between the ethnic groups in line with the spirit and policies of the first Panglong conference.”

Tin Oo, the NLD vice-chairman, and Win Tin, the NLD secretary, also attended the meeting, and Aye Tha Aung said the existence of the NLD was also discussed at the meeting.

“The NLD was the winning party and received the support of many citizens in the 1990 elections, so the NLD will still exist with the help of law experts working for the party,” the CRPP secretary said.

The CRPP was formed on Sept. 16, 1998 by the NLD after the Burmese military junta failed to respond to renewed calls to recognize the results of the 1990 elections. Some CRPP members were immediately arrested after they demanded a new parliament be seated in accordance with the 1990 election results.