A summit meeting of the alliance representing 16 armed ethnic groups has agreed on negotiation guidelines for 10 issues it will raise at the next round of talks with the government on a national ceasefire agreement.
The adoption of the strategy by the National Ceasefire Coordinating Team at a summit at Laiza in Kachin State came ahead of talks with the government's Union Peace-making Work Committee expected to take place in August.
NCCT vice chairman Nai Han Thar said the alliance would not compromise on the 10 issues, which included equality for ethnic minorities, self-administration and the eventual creation of a federal state.
"If the government accepts these points then our talks will be successful but these are issues on which we will not compromise," said Nai Han Thar, from the New Mon State Party.
He was speaking to Mizzima on July 30, a day after the end of the summit, which began on July 25.
The summit also decided to invite representatives of political parties and civil society organisations to attend the political dialogue that NCCT has proposed be held after the successful conclusion of a ceasefire agreement.
“We thought the 88 Generation [Peace and Open Society] should be included so we have extended our plans to invite democratic movements and political parties,” said Dr Lian Sakhong, from the Chin National Front.
The summit agreed to establish 10 committees, including one to play in leading role in planning the political dialogue and another to draft a framework for the process.
The other committees will be for ceasefire monitoring, establishing a military code of conduct and a humanitarian and resettlement program.
NCCT deputy leader Padoh Kwe Htoo Win said he expected the ceasefire to be signed before the general election due to talk place late next year.
The signing would depend on whether the government wanted to change the draft ceasefire agreement reached by the two sides at talks in Yangon in May, said Padoh Kwe Htoo Win, the general secretary of the Karen National Union.
