The NCCT, a technical team working on the nationwide ceasefire agreement on behalf of the ethnic armed resistance organizations previously agreed in its last meeting with the government’s Union Peacemaking Work Committee in Rangoon, to form a joint committee of 18 members to draft a nationwide ceasefire agreement.

It was agreed by both sides that the 18-member committee would be composed of equal representatives – nine from the ethnic armed groups and nine from the government.

Following the NCCT’s seminar in Chaing Mai on March 19 and 20, the group named its nine representatives from its member’s organizations who will work on the draft nationwide ceasefire.

Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win, general secretary of the Karen National Union was selected as the leader of the nine-member delegation team and he spoke to Karen News about the role of the group.

“This committee will focus their work on drawing the nationwide ceasefire agreement [together with the government’s delegation]. This draft agreement is in preparation to sign a nationwide ceasefire with the government.”

The nine-member delegation team led by the KNU’s Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win will also include leaders from the country’s major ethnic armed groups. They include Nai Hong Sar, vice chairperson of the New Mon State Party, General Gwun Maw, vice-chief-of –staff of Kachin Independent Army, Shwe Myo Thant, joint secretary of the Karenni National Progressive Party and Dr. Lian Hmung Sakhong from the Chin National Front.

General Khun Oakkar, the advisor of the Pa’O National Liberated Organization and a member of the nine-delegation team said.

“The current drafting committee team is different from previous ones as we appointed only one leader for the team. It is more important that the works are accomplished but the [degree of] representation should be strong.”

According to NCCT sources, the joint coordination teams will both work on its own respective version of the nationwide ceasefire agreement and then bring both back for discussion.

The NCCT’s drafting committee said that it would base its draft nationwide ceasefire on an agreement reached among ethnic armed organization at the Law Khee Lar conference held in the KNU controlled area at the end of January 2014.