CNI News

1 August 2022

Chairman of State Administration Council Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said plans were underway to meet with a delegation of the Shan State Progressive Party/Shan State Army, an ethnic armed group which has not joined recent negotiations, for peace talks soon.

The SAC chairman announced the plan in his speech delivered to the public at the end of 18 months’ term of the SAC on 1st August morning.

The SAC already held negotiations with nine EAOs and the second round of talks was in the pipeline, the SAC chairman said.

The NSPNC of the Tatmadaw and a SSPP delegation hold talks on 31 March, 2022.

He said, “Ten EAOs including seven signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement and three non-signatories informed us that they would join peace talks. Now, we have met with nine EAOs and we will hold talks with the remaining EAO soon. Plans are underway to hold the second round of talks with EAOs, which we have already met. During the negotiations, we frankly discussed the implementation of the multi-party democracy system in accordance with the will of the people, building the union based on democracy and federalism, the actual needs for regions and the country and wants and shoulds.”

Tensions between the Tatmadaw and the SSPP were high when the former asked the latter to withdraw three camps in Monghsu Township in Shan State (South) and  talks were delayed.

The SAC and the SSPP will hold negotiations in the first week of August, according to diplomatic sources.

However, the reports could not be verified independently since the SSPP did not answer the phone calls for comments.

A map showing the locations of three SSPP camps from which the Tatmadaw asked the SSPP to withdraw.

The SAC chairman previously said that the year 2022 had been designated as the peace year and efforts would be exerted to end armed conflicts in the entire country.

Then, signatories to the NCA including the Shan State Restoration Council/Shan State Army, the New Mon State Party, the Democratic Karen Benevolent Army, the Arakan Liberation Army, the Karen National Union/Karen National Liberation Army (Peace Council) and the Pao National Liberation Organization held talks with the SAC.

Non-signatories to the NCA that joined the talks with the SAC included the United Wa State Army and National Democratic Alliance Army (Mongla).