U Hla Maung Shwe from the government’s Technical Support Team told Mizzima that union-level peace talks between the Union Peace-Making Work Committee and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) will be held from October 8 -10.
“The technical teams from both sides will first discuss agenda for the meeting. Our technical team will focus on securing a ceasefire agreement. The agreement will depend on both leaders”, he added.
The two Technical Support Teams will have pre-meeting discussions on October 2 and 3.
The meeting agenda, venue of the meeting and the participants are yet to be announced. The technical teams met at the KIO technical office in Myitkyinar Towsnhip on September 16 -17. They discussed 5 key issues including resettlement of war-refugees, nationwide ceasefire agreement and military affairs.
With regard to military affairs, the technical teams have agreed to make location maps for both armies and details of the number of the army personnel in each location available to one another.
U Aung Min, Vice Chairman of the Union Peace-Making Work Committee vowed to sign nationwide cease-fire agreements by October, at a meeting with the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) in Chiang Mai on September 8.
The government is yet to sign ceasefire agreements with the KIO and the PSLF (Palong State Liberation Front).
U Hla Maung Shwe said that they have planned to meet with the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (PSLF/TNLA) in October but they are still in the negotiation stage.
The last meeting between the government and KIO leaders was held at Myitkyinar Township, Kachin State in March 2013.
