They are hoping that fierce battle will not be occurred between army and three ethnic armed groups and the army will extend unilateral ceasefire period before the peace talk between the government and four ethnic armed groups held in October, said Lamai Gunja from Peace-talk Creation Group (PCG).

The PCG is an organization negotiation between government and northern alliance.

The decision not to extend the unilateral ceasefire period by the army is based on the results of peace talk between the government and four ethnic armed groups held on September 17. Three ethnic armed groups: Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Arakan Army (AA), made an announcement to set ceasefire period to the end of 2019 and it looks like they want to announce the joint ceasefire period with the army, he said.

“We are hoping that the army will extend the unilateral ceasefire period which ended on September 21. However the army hasn’t announced it yet. We are still waiting for it,” he said.

He added next peace talk is likely to hold in October if the fighting is reduced whether the army announced the extension of ceasefire period or not.

Secretaries from Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee (UPDJC) will go an excursion trip to Norway and Switzerland from September 25 to October 6 to continue to implement peace process.

Moreover the fourth anniversary of nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) will be held in mid November and next peace talk will be held after Thadinkyut festival.

Both sides will discuss about seven facts signed by both representatives on September 17 and he hoped there will be good prospect to sign bilateral agreement, he said.

The unilateral ceasefire period announced by the army in five regional commands were expired on September 21 and the army has no plans to extend it at the present, said Brig-Gen Zaw Min Tun, Secretary of Tatmadaw True News Information Team on September 22.