Govt proposes to ethnic NCA signatories to hold UPC fourth meeting

The third meeting of Union Peace Conference also known as 21st Century Panglong Conference is in progress on August 16.

Published 22 August 2019

Min Naing Soe

The government peace commission proposed to ethnic NCA signatories to hold the fourth meeting of the Union Peace Conference also known as the 21st Century Panglong Conference in 2019 or early 2020, said Colonel Sai Ngin, Secretary (2) of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS).

Colonel Sai Ngin said that the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) and 10 ethnic NRC signatories held an informal meeting with 10 ethnic NPC signatories in Chiang Mai in Thailand on August 19 and that the government peace negotiators proposed to 10 ethnic NCA signatories to resume the fourth meeting.

The NRPC and the RCSS met in an informal meeting in the same place on August 20 and that the NRPC further proposed to the ethnic NCA signatories to hold the 21st Century Panglong Conference, said Colonel Sai Ngin.

“The government proposed to hold the next meeting for the UPC in 2019 or early 2020. Our side also was back to discussion. If the next meeting is able to be held, it needs to produce a good result,” said Colonel Sai Ngin.

State Council Daw Aung San Suu Kyi said at the third meeting of the Union Peace Conference held in Nay Pyi Taw during July in 2018 that efforts would be put into laying down basic principles to establish a federal democratic Union by holding the UPC for three times.

State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min and the leaders of 10 ethnic NCA signatories met in special meeting in Nay Pyi Taw in October in 2018 during which disagreements arose over formation of a single army and non-secession between Tatmadaw and ethic armed organizations.

The Karen National Union (KNU) halted the plan to attend official meetings on peace process. Similarly, the RCSS temporarily stopped attending the JMC meetings.

Now, the government, the Tatmadaw and the ethnic armed organizations are meeting in informal meetings in a bid to resume official meetings on peace process and all already agreed to hold the UPC in principle, said Colonel Sai Ngin.

The PPST held its meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand from August 21 to 24 during which the proposal of the government for the plan to hold Panglong Conference would be focused. The previous third meeting of the UPC recognized 51 points as the part of Union Accord.

Translated and Edited by Win Htut