Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi (Source: gettyimages.co.uk)Hanoi (VNA) – Ethnic armed groups in Myanmar gathered in the northern Thai city of Chiang Mai on July 8 to reach a common stance in order to prepare for their official meeting to be held ahead of the 21 st Century Palong Peace Conference slated for late August.
The participants included delegates of the Coordination Team, which represents eight armed groups that have signed the National Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) at the end of 2015, and leaders of the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), which represents nine groups that have yet to sign the agreement.
Khun Myint Tun, Chairman of the Pa-oh National Liberation Organisation (PNLO) – one of the signatories of the NCA, said the groups’ leaders will discuss their future cooperation orientations and try to reach a common stance towards the formation of a federal state.
Representatives of the ethnic armed groups that signed the NCA had a meeting with Myanmar’s State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and Commander in Chief of the Myanmar Army, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in late June to discuss the organisation of the conference.
In her meeting with the preparation committee for the 21 st Century Palong Conference in Nay Pyi Taw on July 5, Aung San Suu Kyi stressed that national reconciliation will be made between the Government and not only armed groups but also with ethnic groups.
The counsellor will also have a meeting with representatives from the ethnic armed groups that have not signed the NCA later this month to get their viewpoint on the peace process in Myanmar.-VNA
