CNI News

20 August 2022

The Pao National Liberation Organization, the Arakan Liberation Army and the Lahu Democratic Union, all of which are signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement with the State Administration Council, will join the second round of talks with the SAC.

Col Saw Kyaw Nyunt of the Peace Process Steering Team told the CNI that they had requested the SAC to hold talks with all participants as a whole and the second round of talks would be held with the three EAOs.

An ALP delegation meets the SAC chairman. 

Col Saw Kyaw Nyunt said, “We have requested the arrangements to meet all EAO participants as a whole but the SAC is not able to meet all the seven or ten EAOs as a whole. At the moment, it invited the three EAOs to meet on 21st, 22nd and 23rd August for the second round of talks. So, the three EAOs has called on the SAC to meet them as a whole on 22nd August. We haven’t known whether other EAOs have been invited.”

The SAC chairman said on 16th August that the second round of peace talks would resume this month, talks would be held with all EAO participants as a whole and the new round of talks would be scheduled for September.
The SAC chairman also added that affords would be made to sign agreements with the EAOs and there would be no reason not to achieve peace as fundamental agreements had been reached with the EAOs.

A PNLO delegation meets the SAC chairman.

As the invitation was not extended to the PPST as a whole, the team has not discussed the matter, according to Col Saw Kyaw Nyunts.

“It can be said that the talks will be very extensive according to the invitations sent to the three EAOs. They said talks will focus on amendments of constitutions based on parts (1), (2) and (3) of the union agreement and how to implement the post-2020 political process stated in the part (4) of the agreement,” Col Saw Kyaw Nyunt told the CNI.

The first round of peace talks with the SAC were joined by leaders of signatories to the NCA including the RCSS/SSA, the NMSP, the DKBA, the ALP, the KNU/KNLA-PC, the PNLO and the LDU.

Non-signatories to the NCA such as the UWSA, the NDAA (Mongla) and the SSPP/SSA joined the first round of talks with the SAC.