03  July 

The government and NCA Signatories ethnic armed organizations (NCA –S EAOs) held the fifth coordination meeting on peace process at the National Reconciliation and Peace Centre (NRPC) on Shweli Road in Yangon yesterday afternoon. Present on the government’s side at the meeting were the NRPC Vice-Chairman and Attorney-General of the Union U Tun Tun Oo, Lt-Gen Yar Pyae of the Ministry of Defence (Army), Lt-Gen Min Naung and Lt-Gen Tin Maung Win, Pyithu Hluttaw MP U Pyone Cho (a) U Htay Win Aung, members of the Peace Commission Advisory Board U Hla Maung Shwe, U Moe Zaw Oo and the Director-General of the Office of the State Counsellor U Zaw Htay.

The NCA-S EAOs were represented by the Coordination of NCA implementation framework negotiation committee leader Pado Sao Sai Ngin, coordinator U Myo Win, and members of negotiation team U Hla Htay, Saw Mya Yar Zar Lin, Dr Salai Lian Hmon Sakhong, Salai Htarlar Yay, Saw Sein Win, Pado Saw Tar Do Hmu, Pado Saw L Klu Sae, Kya Salmon, Saw Kyaw Nyunt, Nai Aung Ma Ngaw, Dr Sai Oo and Khun Myint Tun, and other representatives on videoconference.

At the meeting, the NRPC Vice-Chairman and Attorney-General of the Union U Tun Tun Oo delivered an opening speech. He said that the two sides have already reached agreements on phase-by-phase work plans and implementations beyond 2020, and federal basic principles. He also suggested that the two main tasks of NCA, which are maintaining the ceasefire and engaging in political dialogues, are very important. The Attorney-General of the Union emphasized that it is important Part III of the Union Accord to be signed at the fourth session of Union Peace Conference- 21st Century Panglong in the second week of August. After that, Coordination of NCA implementation framework negotiation committee leader Pado Sao Sai Ngin delivered a speech, highlighting the facts that should be included in the Part III of the Union Accord. He also pointed out that the fourth session of Union Peace Conference- 21st Century Panglong will need to adopt effective measures against COVID-19. Despite strict measures and a reduced number of delegates, the Union Peace Conference- 21st Century Panglong needs to be all-inclusive in order to get good results, he said. Pado Sao Sai Ngin also said that both sides have already agreed to hold UPDJC and JMC meetings, so the detailed plans should be discussed in the coordination meeting. During the meeting, the attendees made discussions on NCA framework agreement, phase-by-phase work plans and implementations beyond 2020, federal basic principles and other relevant matters. The fifth coordination meeting will continue on 4July. 

Ye Gaung Nyunt (Translated by Maung Maung Swe)