During the past week New Mon State Party has decided to meet it the Burmese government and discuss a possible ceasefire.
Speaking on behalf of the NMSP, the Mon Peace Agency replied to Burmese officials that the talks would take place in Moulmein between January 25th and January 31st, 2012.
“The reply of the NMSP has been reported to Chief Minister (of Mon State). U Aung Min’s team is also busy at the moment. After meeting with Karen National Union (KNU), they well also meet with Kareni. The exact date and when they’ll meet with NMSP hasn’t been decided yet,” said Nai Soe Myint, a Mon Peace Agency member.
The agreement to enter talks comes fresh on the heels of yesterday’s agreement in Hpa-an between the Burmese government and high-ranking representative of the KUN to a ceasefire between the groups.
The next move for the Burmese government, expected for the 20th of January, is to meet the Kareni National Progressive Party (KNPP) in Burma, said Nai Soe Myint.
The KNU is the latest ethnic armed group to sign ceasefire agreements with the government. Other such ethnic armed groups include, the United Wa State Army (UWSA), the National Democratic Alliance Army (NDAA), the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), the Shan State Army (SSA), the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA) and the Chin National Front (CNF).
Even though the fighting and quietened in those ethnic regions, the continuing battle between the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) is still raging due to intensifying military pressure and attacks from the Burmese government.
“There are eleven ethnic (armed) groups. Five groups are in Upper (Burma), only the KIO is left (to enter into peace talks). I’m responsible fore dealing with siz groups. They are the Shan United Revolutionary Army (SURA), RCSS/SSA, KNPP, KNU, Mon, Chin and Pa-O groups,” explained Minister U Aung Min at the preliminary meeting with NMSP, held in late 2011.
The State-level Negotiating Team led by Myanmar Railway Minister U Aung Min and a team of NMSP’s representatives led by Nai Hong Sar met each other in Thailand last December.
The NMSP has previously held a ceasefire agreement with the State Law and Order Restoration Council (SLORC), which collapsed last year. However, at present there is no gunfire between the two groups.
