National Unity and Peace Coordination Committee led by Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, representatives of the six ethnic armed groups that have signed the NCA and three ethnic armed groups that have not yet signed the NCA met informally at the National Unity and Peacemaking Center in Nay Pyi Taw on the morning of February 13, according to a press release.

At the meeting, Lt-Gen Yar Pyae, member of the State Administration Council, Union Minister for the Office of the Union Government Ministry (1) and chairman of the National Unity and Peace Coordination Committee, explained about the invitation to ethnic armed groups for peace talks, the establishment of a union based on democracy and federalism, stability and development, further negotiations between the two sides and the ongoing peace process and the representatives of the ethnic armed groups discussed the views of each group informally, it said.

The meeting was attended by Chairman of the National Unity and Peace Coordination Committee Lt-Gen. Yar Pyae and committee members, vice-chairmen, secretaries, central committee members and officials of the Eastern Shan State Peace and Unity Committee (Mong La), Shan State Progressive Party (SSPP), Arakan Liberation Party (ALP), Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA), Karen National Union / Karen National Liberation Army (Peace Council) KNU / KNLA (PC), Lahu Democratic Union (LDU), New Mon State Party (NMSP), Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) and United League of Arakan (ULA), it said.

Then, on the afternoon of February 13, the committee met separately with the NMSP, LDU, DKBA, KNU / KNLA-PC, RCSS, ALP and ULA to discuss regional stability issues, regional development, health and future peace process, it said.