Padoh Saw Kwel Htoo Win said the NCA signatories are walking along the NCA path while other ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) may want to walk on a new path so an all-inclusive summit will be held immediately to find out what kind of new path can exist in Myanmar peace process besides the NCA path and exchange views on possible paths for the ethnic people.

“Actually, the EAOs share the same political aim for the establishment of democracy and federal [system]. However, we may not share the same stance. That’s why we need to collect the common view of the EAOs in this peace process. What I mean is that if everyone accepts the common principle on democracy and federal system; we can say that this is the desire of all the EAOs and ethnic people and not just the view of the signatories when we discuss with the other side. Another point is the common position because peace is concerned with the entire country and the EAOs are concerned with everyone so we need to obtain their common position and common ground,” he said.

The Chin National Front (CNF) chair Pu Zing Cung said the Union Peace Conference was postponed for nearly a year after political dialogues have nearly come to a halt now and obstacles remains while the EAOs face restrictions in holding public consultations and national-level political dialogues.

The NCA-S EAO Summit, which was held for four days in Chiang Mai, Thailand, set down the decision to overcome the obstacles, according to him.

During the press conference, Pu Zing Cung said they will try to organize an informal talk between a ten-member delegation of the government and the Tatmadaw with decision-making authority and a ten-member delegation of the ten NCA-S EAOs in order to overcome the obstacles and resume the dialogues.

“When we went to this UPC (Union Peace Conference), we were unable to proceed due to the situations where we were told to emphasize self-determination, federal principle, equality, and non-secession and focus on the discussion on having only one armed force. These [situations] created the obstacles. It’s quite difficult for us to work under this bottom-up process. We believe we are unable to accomplish our work so we set down the decision today (September 10) to hold a meeting between the responsible persons from the Tatmadaw leadership and responsible persons from the EAOs to find the solution. I believe this is very important,” said Pu Zing Cung.

He continued that a summit should be held soon to set down common position and common procedures between the NCA-signatories and non-signatories since non-signatories need to be involved in the meeting with the leaders in order to ease the peace process and generate good outcomes.

The Peace Process Steering Team of the NCA-S EAOs was reorganized at the summit with Gen Mutu Say Poe from the KNU as leader, Gen Yawd Serk from the RCSS as deputy leader and Yebaw Than Khe from the ABSDF, Pu Zing Cung from the CNF, Col Khun Okkar from the PNLO, Gen Saw Mo Shay from the DKBA, Dr Naw Ka Paw Htoo from the KNU/KNLA-PC, and Khaing Soe Naing Awng from the ALP as members. Peace implementers from the NMSP and the LDU will also participate as PPST + 2, according to the statement.

The EAO leaders told the press conference that the 10 + 10 informal talk with the government, Tatmadaw, and EAO leaders will focus on five points, which have been submitted to the State Counsellor on July 13, including the issue on convening the Union Peace Conference, setting down federal principles on non-secession from the Union, self-determination, national equality, minority rights, and state constitutions and the Union Army issue.

Negotiations will also be held on finding ways to hold political dialogues where clear decisions can be set down easily, setting down decisions among the leaders on work groups, committees, and undecided issues, and negotiating with the remaining EAOs in the ongoing peace process.