Negotiations at a  recent Joint Implementation Coordination Meeting (JICM) have resulted in positive steps towards reaching agreements with the government, according to the Col. Sai Ngern, a leader with one of the Ethnic Armed Organizations who are a signatory to the National Ceasefire Agreement (NCA-S EAO).  

The negotiation meeting between the Government and NCA-S EAO was held at the National Reconciliation and Peace Center located in Yangon on the 6th and 7th March.

“At this meeting, negotiators from both sides were able to discuss the details of their proposal, and more agreements were reached,” said Col. Sai Ngern.

He added that the negotiation meeting agreements included, i) plans to  sign the the third segment of the Union Accord (UA), ii) an adaptation of a step-by-step work plan, iii) stages of an implementation strategy for the peace process beyond the year 2020 and iv) an agreement on basic federal principles.

Respective organizations will bring these agreements for further discussion and approval at the Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) meeting to be held in Naypyitaw from 10th to 12th March. After that, the 21st Century Panglong meeting will be convened following national-level political dialogues, according to the U Hla Maung Shwe, an Advisor to the Myanmar Peace Commission (PC).

“We will be in Naypyitaw for the UPDJC Secretariat meeting on March 10th and the UPDJC meeting will take place on March 12th. After that, we will continue with national-level political talks, working committee and conference,” he added.

However, the representative of the Arakan Liberation Party, Daw Saw Mya Yazar Lin, offered a different opinion. He told the media that the plan for the fourth meeting of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference is unlikely to work.

“There are still things that cannot be done on time. Therefore, it is not sure whether the UPC will be held in April. However, there will be a meeting in April, and it depends on the decision of the meeting,” said Dar Saw Mya Yazar Lin.

After the Third meeting of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference held in July in 2018, the peace process has been stalled for more than a year and a half. The government, Tatmadaw, and ethnic armed organizations had been negotiating with the hopes they could resume the implementation of the peace process followed by the 8th JICM meeting that was held in January.