The Karen National Union Central Standing Committee (CSC) held its fifth emergency meeting from August 14 to 15, at Lay Wah, KNU Headquarters, to discuss the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), the current political situation, and to review KNU activities the statement said.

Padoh Kwe Htoo Win, KNU General Secretary was quoted as saying “First, we discussed and analysed the meeting results from the 9th round of negotiation talks between Ethnics’ Senior Delegation and government’s UPWC. We accepted and approved the result from that meeting after thoroughly discussing the matter. The KNU decided to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement together with other ethnic armed organisations. Currently, this is the only way that will bring us to the political dialogue.”

He continued, “This NCA is not only related to the ceasefire and military matters but also includes political dialogue. Through the political dialogue, we hope to resolve our political conflicts, amend the current constitution, and build a federal democratic union.”

He also talked about the ethnic groups demand to include all the ethnic armed organisations in the signing of the NCA. “Even we want every organisation to sign the NCA, I understand that some organisations, for some reasons, cannot sign right now. We will seek ways for them to gain some recommendation politically and militarily so that they participate at the political dialogue, and they receive humanitarian assistance for their civilians. The KNU will find solutions to include them along the peace process journey.”

The KNU CSC agreed that the peace process was the best approach to achieve durable peace and Karen political destiny.

The ethnic armed organisations will meet one last time in the middle of this month before their senior leaders travel to Naypyidaw to meet with President U Thein Sein and Commander in Chief Min Aung Hlaing. Dates for both meetings have not been confirmed.