Seven members of the Federal Political Negotiation and Consultative Committee (FPNCC) met at Panghsang, headquarters of United Wa State Army (UWSA) and discussed mainly about signing of bilateral agreement between government, Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and Arakan Army (AA), sources said.
The FPNCC members are United Wa State Army (UWSA), National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP), Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and Arakan Army (AA).
“The main discussion of the meeting is to sign bilateral agreement with the government. All members are agreed and the meeting brought positive result. The four ethnic armed groups expressed their opinions about the agreement,” said a representative from an ethnic armed group on June 18.
Senior officials from the FPNCC members attended the closed-door meeting.
“Other ethnic armed groups signed the bilateral agreement except them and if all four groups sign it, it will lead us to peace,” he said.
They planned for another meeting after the government delegation and representatives of the four ethnic armed groups had met at Muse in late April but they didn’t have an agreement on the location for next meeting.
“It will be good if they sign the agreement with the government. The government and army need to consider that point. The peace process can be a success. If all ethnic armed groups sign state level ceasefire agreement, the negotiation for peace issue will be facilitated,” he said.
Although the government proposed Yangon, Mandalay, Nay Pyi Taw and Lashio for the location of the meeting, the ethnic armed groups are worried about their safety. However the army said they guaranteed their safety.
The four ethnic armed groups proposed draft versions of the ceasefire agreement to the government during a meeting with the government held at Muse and they are expected to sign the bilateral agreement if they meet up in this month, said San Aung from Peace-talk Creation Group (PCG).
