He said this during the 24th meeting of the Peace Process Steering Team (PPST) of the signatories of the NCA, which is being held in Chiang Mai, Thailand starting from today (September 6).

“We need to negotiate the [common] ground. The common ground will be set down after negotiating the points that have been submitted. Work programs will be set down for the future based on this common ground,” he said.

The two-day meeting will focus on a review of the outcomes from the third session of the Union Peace Conference – 21st Century Panglong Conference and discussion on activities carried out by each working group and issues relating to the Joint Monitoring Committee (JMC).

Gen Mutu Say Poe said the outcomes of this meeting will be submitted to the NCA-S EAO Summit, which will kick off on September 8, as the common ground and differences will be negotiated.

“From this ongoing informal talk, we have to try to negotiate the differences in the basic views on politics that exist deeply among the stakeholders. What I want to say is that there are still some differences in the NCA signatories’ views and we need to negotiate these differences after consulting [each other]. We need to negotiate to reach the common ground and common standard, which is our aim for future federal union,” he continued.

Around 30 leaders including the KNU chair Gen Mutu Say Poe, the Restoration Council of Shan State/Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) chair Gen Yawd Serk, the Chin National Front (CNF) chair Pu Zing Cung, the All Burma Student’s Democratic Front (ABSDF) chair Yebaw Than Khe, the Pa-O National Liberation Army (PNLO) vice-chair Khun Myint Tun, the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) vice-chair 1 U Khaing Soe Naing Aung, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army (DKBA) chief of staff Gen Saw Mu Chay, the Karen National Liberation Army/Peace Council (KNLA/PC) general secretary Dr Naw Ka Paw Htoo, and the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU) vice-chair Kyar Har attended the meeting.