The meeting allowed for preliminary talks to take place, according to Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) Colonel Sai La. “The two sides presented their issues, even though the government’s desires remained unchanged. Both sides agreed to meet next month after reporting the points established in this meeting to the rest of their groups.”

The attending WGEC representatives, which included the Karen National Union (KNU) and the RCSS, presented a four-point agreement that outlined what they expect from a nationwide ceasefire. Some of these included the formation of a WGEC joint committee tasked with actively monitoring the ceasefire’s progression and a list of “moral codes” that would govern the military activities of both sides.

The MPC technical team’s two-point agreement was significantly less extensive than the WGEC. They requested that the WGEC send members to the proposed September ceasefire signing. They also want to continue developing frameworks that foster cooperation on political dialogues like the recent meeting.

The WGEC, formed in February of the last year, is made up of United Nationalities Council Federation (UNFC) and the Ethnic Nationalities Council (ENC) representatives and other groups. Its administrative operations are supported by the Brussels-based Euro-Burma Office (EBO).