Military council and the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) discussed cooperation for the successful holding of a free and fair multi-party democratic general election in areas where ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) are based.
The National Solidarity and Peacemaking Negotiation Committee (NSPNC) and the delegation of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) met in Nay Pyi Taw on 21 September. Arrangements to celebrate the 8 th anniversary of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) profoundly and cooperation in measures to conduct free and fair general elections in EAO- based areas were discussed.
U Than Soe Naing, a political analyst, remarked, "There are no powerful organizations except the RCSS among the NCA-signatory EAOs that are holding peace talks with the military council, so they will not be effective in providing support for the election”.
The military regime is waging war with the People's Defense Forces (PDF) across the country, as well as the Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) in Shan State and the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) in Kachin State.
On the other hand, the regime troops continue to fight with NCA-signatories Karen National Union (KNU), Chin National Front (CNF), and All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) as well as Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP) in the ethnic-controlled areas.
"The military council is stuck in the midst of crises and is looking for a way out. As a last option, they will conduct unlawful sham elections. Fake elections and peace talks would fail miserably. The KNU will fight the military regime alongside the people," KNU spokesperson Padoh Saw Tony told Than Lwin Times.
The military council's peace talk team presented the issue of holding a peace conference to the seven NCA-signatories and three non-NCA signatories in the last talks.
At a recent meeting between the military council and the RCSS, they discussed cooperation in providing humanitarian assistance to EAO-active areas and the sections that should be amended in the 2008 Constitution.
In addition, the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) expressed regional development and the requirements for the economy.
The junta-run press and television reported they would discuss and negotiate the pending issues and obtain opinions from both sides on 22 September.
The leader of the peace talks team, Minister of Home Affairs Gen. Yar Pyae, did not show up for the meeting, but it was attended by the secretary, Lt. Gen. Min Naing and members of the NSPNC, and secretary-1Swa Sain Ning, members of the Central Executive Committee and Central Steering Committee from RCSS.
