Peace process can move forward if Northern Alliance is sure to wish for peace and walk a peace road, said Zaw Htay, Spokesperson of the President Office.

The remarks came from the reply of the spokesperson of the President Office to the question of the reporters at the press conference held at the Presidential Palace in Nay Pyi Taw on November 15.

The reporters asked the spokesperson, “Are you are prevented by difficulties including the meeting venue from holding meeting with the Northern Alliance?”

Zaw Htay replied that they had an informal meeting with the Northern Alliance. The proposed points of the Northern Alliance are under negotiation. At present, the government is focusing on two points.

Do the four members of the Northern Alliance really want peace? Do they really walk a peace road? Be sure, bilateral ceasefire agreement can be immediately discussed and adjusted as soon as possible. What will do next after the bilateral ceasefire agreement? We are not to stop and we must go on. What we agreed in Kengtung is to meet again in October. But we can’t meet again. We reviewed the activities of these four members of the Northern Alliance. We assessed the stances of these four members.

We already knew the stances of both sides as to the bilateral ceasefire agreement when we met in Kengtung. The government side openly expressed what they couldn’t accept. The Northern Alliance also candidly mentioned what they wanted, said Zaw Htay.

The AA and the TNLA including in the Northern Alliance are clashing with Tatmadaw in Rakhine and northern Shan States until now.    

Translated and Edited by Win Htut