The New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU) will sign an eight-point deed of commitment on the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) on February 10, according to the LDU’s vice-chair Col. Solomon.
“We will sign the deed of commitment, the eight NCA points, before February 10,” said Col. Solomon.
He continued that the two ethnic armed organizations will sign the NCA at the third session of the Panglong Conference.
“Based on the negotiation, we told them that we will sign the NCA at the third session of the Panglong Conference,” he said.
The NMSP delegation led by its chair Nai Htaw Mon and the LDU delegation led by its chair Kyar Khun Sar met with the State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the Tatmadaw’s Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Naypyidaw and agreed to sign the NCA before the second week of February.
The delegations from both sides were able to negotiate on signing the NCA on two levels and they are preparing to sign the first-level agreement before February 10, according to Colonel Solomon.
“We can only negotiate the date after signing the deed of commitment. We are ready to sign it tomorrow if they schedule it for tomorrow. They are selecting a good date. We are ready to sign it on a suitable day,” he said.
The NMSP and the LDU, which are members of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), have decided to sign the NCA while the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) and the Arakan National Council (ANC) will remain as members of the UNFC.
Col. Solomon told Network Media Group that the UNFC’s central executive committee and central committee will hold a plenary meeting in February and the NMSP and the LDU will follow the decision set down by the majority at the meeting.
Recently, the UNFC announced that it will continue negotiation with the government’s Peace Commission on the eight-point proposal for the NCA.
