Kengtung informal meeting between the National Reconciliation and Peace Center (NRPC) and four armed groups of Northern Alliance, said Zaw Htay, Director-General of State Counsellor Office.
The remarks was that Zaw Htay, Director-General of State Counsellor Office responded to Brig-Gen Tar Phone Kyaw, General Secretary of Ta,ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) told the Irrawaddy News Agency that Kengtung peace talk resulted from the intervention of China was for show.
The informal meeting between the NRPC and the KNU took place at the Office of the NRPC on Shweli Road in Yangon on September 7.
Brig-Gen Tar Phone Kyaw, General Secretary of TNLA, gave remarks like this without attending the informal meeting. The remarks of the leaders of the TNLA were very different from those of the General Secretary of the TNLA.
“The aim of the informal meeting is to sign Bilateral Ceasefire Agreement. Now the clashes are scaling up. We discussed to deescalate the military tension. Statements also come into view at the informal meeting. These are the results of the informal meeting. There has been a decrease in the number of the clashes on the ground. It is a noticeable effect because of the informal meeting. For these reasons, the informal meeting isn’t for show, said Zaw Htay.
The government submitted proposed points to Kengtung informal meeting. The Brotherhood Alliance issued a statement on September. Most of the points shown in the statement are the same as the proposed points submitted by the government, said Zaw Htay.
“We focused on gradual de-escalation of the clashes. We have seen some kind of progress in the ongoing military tension. We told to meet again without delay on September 16 and 17. This informal meeting isn’t for show,” said Zaw Htay.
We managed to discuss to de-escalate the military tension noticeably at Kengtung informal meeting. Bilateral Ceasefire Agreement was also agreed some degree. The remarks of Brig-Gen Tar Phone Kyaw, General Secretary of TNLA was totally wrong, said Zaw Htay.
The Brotherhood Alliance issued a statement on September 4, stating that they will defend offensive attacks of the government troops, but they won’t continue launching offensive them as they have a desire to meet in political discussions.
Before signing the Bilateral Ceasefire Agreement, they will try their best to take part in political discussions and peace talks through goodwill , the statement said.
Translated and Edited by Win Htut
