Eight points which were not previously discussed will be discussed at the next nationwide ceasefire talks between the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) and Union-level Peace Working Committee (UPWC) at the beginning of December said NCCT leader Nai Hong Sar.
He said: “When we met with the U Aung Min delegation recently [At informal talks between some members of the NCCT and UPWC held in Naypyidaw on 9th November.] we agreed to meet again at the end of November or beginning of December and he said some of the details [which have already been discussed] may be negotiated and changed. And, he said whatever happens the meeting will go ahead.”
Some of the eight points to be discussed are: the formation of a federal army that includes all ethnic groups, the issue of using the words ‘ethnic armed revolution’, ethnic armed organisations not enlisting new recruits after the signing of the nationwide ceasefire agreement and security affairs according to Nai Hong Sar.
Representatives from the NCCT and the Myanmar Peace Centre (MPC) were meeting in Chiang Mai from 24th to 27th November to have preliminary discussions about the talks.
U Hla Maung Shwe, a senior advisor from the (MPC) said that after the meeting in Chiang Mai hopefully a date could be set for the next full nationwide ceasefire agreement talks. There have already been six rounds of nationwide ceasefire talks between the UPWC and NCCT.
At the last meeting held in Yangon from 22nd to 26th September neither side reached agreement on military affairs, a political framework for the peace dialogue, and whether to submit the nationwide ceasefire agreement to parliament for their approval.
A UNFC statement dated 15th November said that the informal meeting in Naypyitaw on 9th November cleared up misunderstandings that had caused the government to previously accuse the UNFC of being responsible for the delays in signing the nationwide ceasefire agreement.
Nai Hong Sar said that even though the 9th November meeting was informal he hoped that it had solved misunderstandings between both sides and would help support the upcoming NCCT and UPWC nationwide ceasefire talks.
Translated by Aung Myat Soe English version written by Mark Inkey for BNI
Photo caption: UPWC and NCCT's Informal Meeting Held in Naypyitaw on 9th November (Phophtaw News)
