The government peace negotiators held an informal meeting with the Karen National Union (KNU) that has temporarily stopped attending official meetings on peace process. 

The government peace negotiators informally met with the KNU and discussed to go on holding peace meetings. The informal meeting developed more than previous ones, according to U Hla Maung Shwe Facebook.

The informal meeting of the government peace negotiators and the KNU representatives held a positive view and they managed to discuss peace process more widely, said Phado Saw Tardo Hmu, General Secretary of the KNU. 

Present on the occasion were Lt-Gen Khin Zaw Oo (Retired), Secretary of Myanmar Peace Commission, Aung Soe, Zaw Htay, Hla Maung Shwe and Kyaw Lin Oo from the peace commission side, General Secretary Phado Saw Tardo Hmu, Phado Saw Tar Nee, Colonel Saw Htoo Htoo Lay, Naw May Oo, Saw Baw Boe and Saw L Do Soe from the KNU side. 

“We don’t have any plan to release detailed report. We met and we held a positive view. We managed to discuss peace matters more widely. We would meet again,” Phado Saw Tardo Hmu. 

The KNU is facing difficulty in going back to an approach toward officially political dialogue due to different views on peace process. 

“An official meeting is based too much dependence on the result of the informal meeting. The informal meeting would bring much benefit to the official one,” said Phado Saw Tardo Hmu. 

Similarly, the government peace negotiators met with the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) that temporarily stopped attending the meetings of JMC-S in Chiang Mai, Thailand on January 14 and both sides focused on the clashes taking place in Shan State.

  The team of the RCSS representatives is comprised of Major General Baung Khay, Colonel Sai Ngein, Colonel Sai Hlyan and Major Sin Shan Maing. 

Likewise, the government peace commission informally met with the Karenni National Progressive Party and discussed the matters relating to the NCA. 

Translated and Edited by Win Htut