In an interview with IMNA Nai Htaw Mon, the NMSP Chairman said: “The first point is to have all ethnic armed groups participate in signing the NCA. The second point is to stand firm with whatever decisions the UNFC makes with regards to all ethnic armed groups involvement in the NCA signing. The third point is if it is not suitable to take such a stand because it could cause barriers to the peace process we will abide with any decisions made by the majority of the UNFC members. At the moment, we are just considering those three points."

President Thein Sein has invited 15 ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) to sign the NCA. They are: the NMSP, the Kachin Independent Organisation (KIO), the Karen National Union (KNU), the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), the Chin National Front (CNF), the United Wa State Army (UWSA), the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA), the Shan State Progress Party/Shan State Army (SSPP/SSA), the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army – Peace Council (KNU/KNLA-PC), the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA), the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), the All Burma Students’ Democratic Front (ABSDF), the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), the Pa-O National Liberation Organisation (PNLO), and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K).

However,there were six other EAOs that the government did not invite to sign the NCA. These are: the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Arakan Army (AA), the Wa National Organisation (WNO), the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU), and the Arakan National Council (ANC).

Nai Htaw Mon said: "I am very glad now that the NCA draft is finalised, but it is a barrier that not every ethnic armed organisation has been invited to sign the ceasefire, but we, the alliance, will negotiate and discuss that."

The Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team's (NCCT) – Senior Delegation (SD) had a three day emergency meeting in Chiang Mai, Northern Thailand, from 21 to 23 August.

Recently, it was announced that the KNU, the DKBA, the KNU/KNLA-PC, the RCSS/SSA and the ABSDF will sign the NCA.

The Civil Society Organizations Forum Negotiation Committee, made up of 260 members, made an announcement on 17 August calling on the government to include all EAOs in the NCA signing.

According to the Myanmar Peace Center (MPC) President Thein Sein, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, five EAO leaders and three senior SD members will meet in Naypyidaw on 25 August to discuss the signing of the NCA.

Report by Min Thu Tha

Edited in English by Mark Inkey for BNI