The national coordination committee for negotiating COVID-19 measures with ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) held an online video conference with the Arakan Liberation Party (ALP) yesterday.

The government’s side had the meeting from the National Reconciliation and Peace Centre (NRPC) on Shweli Road in Yangon and included Chairman Dr Tin Myo Win, Vice-Chairman Lt-Gen (retd) Khin Zaw Oo and committee members. Joining the meeting from the ALP were Saw Mra Razar Lin, deputy head of the peace implementation group, and other representatives.

Dr Tin Myo Win first delivered the opening speech and the meeting then commenced with an explanation of the seven points of agreement discussed with the ten NCA-S EAOs to ALP.

Peace Commission advisory board member U Hla Maung Shwe said the meeting discussed possible cooperation with ALP on COVID-19 matters and the ALP attended the meeting with the ten NCA-S EAOs on 8 May. He said the discussions at this meeting was based on those agreements from the 8 May meeting.

U Hla Maung Shwe said they are preparing future discussions on COVID-19 with both signatories and non-signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) and the committee has arranged aid for the virus to be sent to both groups in the coming week. He said Dr Tin Myo Win and Lt-Gen (retd) Khin Zaw Oo already explained this to the ALP.

The national coordination committee will hold a similar online video conference with the Karenni National Progressive Party, a non-signatory to the NCA, on 22 May.—Ye Khaung Nyunt

(Translated by Zaw Htet Oo)