The suspended peace talks between the government and the four-member northern alliance group are likely to resume in January, said U Lamaing Gwan Jar from the Kachin Peace-talk Creation Group (PCG).

 

The talks are suspended due to the elections and the spread of COVID-19 pandemic.

 

The government has proposed to resume the talks in the second week of January. The northern alliance group has affirmed they would meet before the end of January.

 

The group held an informal talk with the northern alliance group in Kunming of China in 2019. Both sides agreed to hold the further talks then. Both sides are unable to resume the suspended talks due to the venue problem, the pandemic and the elections.

 

Plans are under way to resume the suspended talks now the election has been held although covid-19 remains a major concern.

 

“The government has proposed the venue for the talks to be held in Myitkyina and Kengtung. The venue and time will be coordinated based on the facts submitted by the members of northern alliance group,” U Lami Gwan Jar added.

 

If the talks are held in the venues proposed by the government, the officials from the NRPC and army officials will participate in the talks.”

 

The news agency was unable to contact the members of the northern alliance group to seek their comments about the talks with the government and the Tatmadaw.

 

The group is coordinating with the government and the Tatmadaw to sign the bilateral ceasefire agreement.

The four-member northern alliance group is composed of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO)/Kachin Independence Army (KIA), the United League of Arakan (ULA)/Arakan Army (AA), the Myanmar National Truth and Justice Party/Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNTJP/MNDAA) and the Palaung State Liberation Front (PSLF)/Ta-ang National Liberation Army (TNLA).