Khu Oo Reh told reporters at a press conference: “We will face difficulties in negotiating and finding solutions at the conference if the framework is not all-inclusive and accepted by everyone.”

The 21st Century Panglong Conference convening at the end of August is a continuation of peace-making efforts by the new NLD government. Suu Kyi said national reconciliation and peace are the party’s top priority in January, calling with all inclusive talks with all of the ethnic armed groups.

The military that controls twenty-five of parliament and three key ministries is less willing to meet with all of the groups until certain conditions are met. It requested for the Ta’ang National Liberation Army, Arakan Army and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army to disarm before peace discussions could happen.

The three groups have been involved in heavy fighting with the Burma Army in the last two-years.

Khu Oo Reh said the UNFC will continue to push for the conference to be all inclusive and monitor this if it fails to happen.

Only the eight ethnic groups that signed the so called nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) attended the first Union Peace Conference in January.

The NCA has come under fire after only fifteen of the country’s twenty-one armed groups were included. Seven that were invited refused to take part, mainly because six groups were excluded.

Both NCA and non-NCA Ethnic armed groups will converge at the end of this month during an armed group summit in Maijayang, the largest city controlled by the Kachin Independence. Discussions will be heavily focussed on the peace conference the following month.

Reporting by Saw Lin Tun for KIC News
Translated by Thida Linn
Edited by BNI Staff