The informal meeting will be held in Chiang Mai and end a four-month shutdown of discussions.
Representatives of the Burmese government’s Peace Commission and leaders of the 10 Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) signatory ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) will hold an informal meeting on March 9 in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
In a meeting of the Peace Process Steering Committee—made up of NCA-signatory EAOs—also in Chiang Mai this week, the groups decided to take up the earlier offer of the meeting with the Peace Commission.
“The Peace Commission told us that they wanted to meet the 10 NCA-signatory EAOs in an informal meeting on March 9. We accepted their offer,” Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) vice chairperson U Khaing Soe Naing Aung told NMG. “Since this is an informal meeting, we can frankly discuss our opinions; it will build a good relationship. It’s not a decision-making meeting. So I think it’s better for building trust.”
The meeting marks the resumption of informal discussions between the Peace Commission and the NCA signatories after a four-month shutdown of all meetings due to issues on which the parties are deadlocked.
Saturday’s meeting will be led by Peace Commission secretary U Khin Zaw Oo and one representative from each of the 10 EAOs.
“The topic of discussion in the meeting will be how to overcome the deadlocked issues and [to make] a future plan,” Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) spokesperson Col Sai Nguen said.
According to inside sources, the Peace Commission delegation will separately meet officials from the Karen National Union (KNU) in an informal meeting on Friday, and the Karenni National Progressive Party on Sunday.
The NCA-signatory EAOs include the ALP, KNU, RCSS/SSA, All Burma Students Democratic Front, Pa-O National Liberation Organization, Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, Chin National Front, KNU/Karen National Liberation Army-Peace Council, the New Mon State Party and the Lahu Democratic Union.
