The new committee was established during the 19th meeting of the PPST.

“We reestablished the informal dialogue team for the political sector with nine members. Padoh Saw Kwel Htoo Win was the leader, but he is currently serving as vice-chair in the KNU (Karen National Union) and carrying out important duties so we have assigned the position to the KNU’s general secretary Padoh Saw Tar Doh Moo,” said the PPST’s spokesperson U Than Khe.

The PPST will decide on whether it will attend the Union Peace Conference based on the outcome of the dialogue between the new committee and the Union Peace Commission and the Tatmadaw, U Than Khe continued.

The committee originally had seven members but it has been reorganized with nine members to discuss blocked situations and policies.

The New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU), which signed the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) on February 13, have joined the committee as new members.

U Than Khe said members have been already selected for informal team for the security sector.

“We are still negotiating for the security sector, but [the team] has already been established for the security sector. We haven’t selected the team leader yet. It also has nine members,” he explained.

Team leaders have been changed in the new committee, which was established on May 11.

The KNU’s secretary Padoh Saw Tar Doh Moo and Dr Salai Lian Hmung Sakhong have been respectively assigned as team leader and deputy team leader, according to the leaders of the NCA-signatories.

The PPST’s informal dialogue team and the government will hold their second informal talk on May 18-19.

“Discussions will be held on the 12th and 13th to prepare for the informal talk. We are trying to hold the informal talk as fast as we can after negotiating with the Tatmadaw,” he added.

The PPST held its first informal talk with the government on political and security issues on April 20, 2018.

The informal talk was led by the KNU’s vice-chair Padoh Saw Kwel Htoo Win.