Not easy to resolve Myanmar issue without third party

CNI News

21 June 2025

It was not easy to resolve the ongoing political crisis in Myanmar without a third party as an intermediary, chairman of the Pa-O National Liberation Organization (PNLO-NCA/S), which signed the NCA, Colonel Khun Okkar,  told CNI News.

China, India, ASEAN, the United States, and the European Union have urged Myanmar to resolve the political crisis through dialogues and so have the seven armed groups that have signed the NCA and local democratic elements.

China, India, ASEAN, the United States, and the European Union have urged Myanmar to resolve the political crisis through dialogues and so have the seven armed groups that have signed the NCA and local democratic elements. 

Although the international community is saying that Myanmar's issues must be resolved by the people of Myanmar,  a solution cannot be found if Myanmar citizens alone resolve the issue, and that a solution can only be found if a third party intervenes, Colonel Khun Okkar told CNI News.

While seeing armed group

"On behalf of ASEAN, Malaysia says that the Myanmar issue should be resolved by the Myanmar people themselves. However, when there are confrontations in this situation, it is not easy to meet, discuss, and resolve without a neutral third party. Even in the northern part of Myanmar, China intervened and negotiated a settlement, resulting in some northern groups and the current military council reaching a settlement. Now, I hear that the Malaysian delegate has arrived in Chiang Mai and is meeting with armed groups operating near the Thai border. It is understood that the delegate came with the intention of making the meeting leading to finding a solution. It is not easy to meet, and there is no trust between the two groups. Meeting without trust between two groups will not yield any results. Therefore, a guarantee is needed to have a mutual trust. If ASEAN, or the United Nations was involved as a third party, the talks would be successful." he said.

If efforts were made to achieve the national reconciliation, there must be a compromise to end all armed conflicts, and that Myanmar's political problems must be resolved by the Myanmar citizens themselves, Dr. Aye Maung, chairman of the Arakan Front Party (AFP), told CNI News. 

While houses were burning due to armed conflict

"Without political and security stability, development cannot take place. How will we achieve national reconciliation? How will we negotiate and settle all the current armed conflicts? How will neighboring countries support us? Neighboring countries may be more sympathetic to Myanmar than the United States and Australia. The UN can do nothing regarding the Myanmar issue. ASEAN can do nothing either. So the Myanmar people must solve the political problem themselves. ASEAN has said that the currently planned election should be postponed. I think this is contrary to the current political needs,” he said. 

ASEAN and the UN have appointed special envoys on Myanmar to explore ways to overcome the political crisis in Myanmar. 

They have been meeting with opposition groups at home and abroad, as well as with SAC representatives, including the SAC chairman.

However, armed conflicts between the Myanmar Tatmadaw and revolutionary forces are ongoing across Myanmar, forcing more than three million people to flee their homes.

Similarly, the SAC chairman has said that elections will be held in Myanmar in December 2025 and January 2026, and opposition forces have announced that they will completely sabotage the elections that the SAC will hold.