The team is expected to return to the border today.

Though the details of the draft are yet to be made public, he said it included:

• The revised 14 points proposed by the Working Group for Ethnic Coordination (WGEC) and
• The reaffirmation of the 14 state/region level and 19 union level agreements signed since 2011 with 14 armed groups

It is expected to do the rounds among the armed movements as well as the all powerful National Defense and Security Council (NDSC), which is dominated by the Burmese military, for review before the two sides meet again to prepare a second draft.

Meeting with Vice President Sai Mawk Kham on 31 August following consultation between joint KNU-RCSS technical team and MPC. (Photo: RCSS/SSA)

“I already have a lot of things to say, though I haven’t seen the draft,” said Yawdserk. He did not elaborate.

According to the time table proposed by the MPC on 24 August:

• October 2013: Signing of Nationwide Ceasefire Accord
• November 2013-March 2014: Negotiations on Framework for Political Dialogue (“during which the COC will also be negotiated,” according to the MPC)
• April 2014-March 2015: Union Conference

The Nationwide Ceasefire Accord should also have 5 signatories on the government side, instead of 4 as proposed by the WGEC: Not only the President, Upper House Speaker, Lower House Speaker, and the Commander-in-Chief but also the Attorney General.

Among the witnesses, the MPC proposed, there should be national leaders such as Aung San Suu Kyi, Hkun Htun Oo and those from groups such as 8888 Generation Students. Among the world leaders, UN chief Ban Ki-Moon has already assured he would be at the signing ceremony.

Naypyitaw has signed ceasefire with 14 movements: