“We can say this is the first time that tripartite talks have been held. It’s mainly designed [to give] political parties [a chance] to provide their points of view,” said NCCT leader Nai Hong Sar in an interview with IMNA.

The tripartite talks, which were held at the government-controlled Myanmar Peace Center, provided ethnic and national political parties an opportunity to submit their ideas regarding the peace process.

“The political parties support the creation of a federal [political system] and said they would participate in future political talks,” said Nai Hong Sar, who also serves as Vice-Chairman of the New Mon State Party (NMSP).

Nai Chan Htoy, a member of the All Mon Regions Democracy Party’s central executive committee who spoke at the meeting, said his party submitted two points for discussion. Other political parties also made suggestions as to which agenda items should be included in the ongoing peace talks.

“To facilitate more successful peace talks, the UPWC and NCCT should hold a public conference with the public and political parties so that they know which points upon which the UPWC and NCCTagree and disagree. And another point is that in order to implement the political dialogue framework a negotiating team should be formed,” said Nai Chan Htoy.

The UPWC and NCCT held a meeting from August 15-17 in which the UPWC accepted the proposal put forward by armed ethnic groups to create a federal union which grants democracy, national equality, and self-determination to ethnic groups.

According to Nai Hong Sar, the government has accepted many of the NCCT’s positions in principle, but there are several outstanding issues that will need to be addressed during the political dialogue phase of the peace process, which is expected to take place after the nationwide ceasefire is concluded.

On the evening of August 18th, participants in the tripartite talks met for dinner at the MPC, where the UN General Secretary’s Special Advisor, Vijay Nambiar, gave a speech.