Participants at the July 30 summit agreed to hold tripartite political talks with the presence of the government, ethnic armed groups and political parties. Also discussed was an eight-point structure for the federal union formation, as well as bringing the Union Tatmadaw under civilian control.

The eight-principles for the establishment of federal union included equal autonomy, self-determination, true federal union, safeguards for the rights of minor ethnic groups, democratic rights, gender equality and multiple-party democracy.

However, at the summit, the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC), a major ethnic armed group alliance, stated again that it would not sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) with the government if some ethnic armed groups were not permitted to join.

Tatmadaw have officially stated that unless the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA), the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA) and the Arakan Army (AA) decide to disarm, they will all be excluded from signing a ceasefire agreement.

“The UNFC view is that only when all ethnic armed groups are allowed to sign it [NCA], we [UNFC members] will then sign it,” said Nai Hongsar, Vice-chair of UNFC.

An all-inclusive 21st Century Panglong Conference all depends on the results from on-going discussions between the respective groups and government.

The spokesperson stated at the Mai Ja Yang press conference that the participants gathered common ground to take with them to their meetings with the government but were advised to not solely use this collective stance when making decisions.

The five-day summit took place in Mai Ja Yang, the controlled-area of the Kachin Independent Organization, between July 26 to 30. It was held with the two main objectives of negotiating the various viewpoints on the upcoming 21st Century Panglong Conference and to find common ground for the establishment of a federal, democratic union.

In October, 2015, eight ethnic armed groups signed the NCA with the Thein Sein Government. However, various groups, including UNFC members, opted out of signing the agreement because it was not ‘all-inclusive’.

Out of all the 21 non-state armed groups, four groups, including the Ta’ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and the Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), did not attend the summit.

Over 200 representatives were present at the Mai Ja Yang summit, including representatives from 17 ethnic armed groups of both current NCA-signatories and non-signatories, the Women’s League for Burma (WLB), political party alliances and the United Nationalities Alliance (UNA) and Nationalities Brotherhood Federation (NBF).