Armed ethnic groups attending a conference in Kayin State have disagreed over references to a federal army in a draft ceasefire agreement to be negotiated with the government, a spokesperson told Mizzima on January 22.
“There were differences of opinion over the use of the term ‘federal army’ and this is why the conference was extended [by a day] to January 23,” said Khun Okka, the joint secretary of the United Nationalities Federal Council and a spokesperson for the conference.
The gathering, at the Lawkheelar camp in territory under the control of the Karen National Union, began on January 20.
It is being attended by representatives of the 18 armed ethnic groups in the National Ceasefire Coordinating Team formed to participate in the peace talks with the government. Some other armed ethnic groups are also attending the meeting.
The deputy chair of the New Mon State Party and the head of NCCT, Naing Han Tha, said if agreement could not be reached on a draft ceasefire, another conference would have to be held before the next round of talks with the government, due to be held in the Kayin State capital, Hpa-an, in late February.
Sources at the conference said Mai-yan, in eastern Shan State, had already been chosen as the venue for another meeting.
An official at the Mizzima Peace Center told Mizzima that if the groups had to hold another conference the next round of peace talks with the government could be postponed.
Phado Saw Kwe Htoo Win, the general secretary of the KNU, was quoted as saying on the first day of the Lawkheelar conference that that any ceasefire agreement must acknowledge a federal army, a move that has been opposed by the Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
