Burma News International (BNI) / Network Media Group (NMG) | October 25, 2017

Ethnic negotiators say headway has been made in their latest peace talks, with agreements reached on all but one of the eight preconditions before they will sign the nationwide ceasefire agreement.

Representatives from the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) are meeting with the government negotiators in Yangon this week. A UNFC leader said that all eight preconditions were discussed on the second day of talks on October 24. The key remaining stumbling bloc concerns troop relocation, according to Nai Aung Ma Nge, deputy leader of the UNFC’s Delegation for Political Negotiation.

“I believe we need to discuss point 5 thoroughly since it deals with military affairs,” he said.

According to the UNFC, both sides are on the same page, final checks just need to occur to ensure mutual understanding over terminology and implications of some points.

Nai Aung Ma Nge said he expects the UNFC to make a final decision at the next meeting between the government and DPN, scheduled for November 8.

“We will discuss among our respective leaders. We hope to finish

[the negotiations] when we meet again,” he said.

U Zaw Htay, spokesperson for the President’s Office, also indicated cautious optimism after the latest talks.

“Peace is drawing nearer,” he said. He added the caveat that some topics still need to be discussed and the current NCA signatories – eight ethnic armed groups – need to be consulted.

“Ten points will be discussed at the meeting on November 8. This includes troop relocation issues and military issues. We will also discuss our understanding of the issues that need to be defined. We will negotiate the program for relocating the troops. Since it concerns the military, some military representatives s from the UNFC will attend the meeting,” U Zaw Htay said.

The UNFC has declared that its remaining members will sign the NCA after reaching an agreement with the government on the eight-point proposal. The National League for Democracy-led administration has pressured ethnic armed organizations to join the NCA fold, insisting that the deal remains the bedrock for securing peace and development in ethnic frontier areas.

Several ethnic armed groups have quit the umbrella bloc as it appeared to inch toward an agreement on preconditions with the government. The number of groups represented by the UNFC has dwindled from 11 when it launched in 2011, to just four mostly minor organizations now: the New Mon State Party (NMSP), the Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), the Arakan National Council (ANC) and the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU)

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This article was originally written by NMG and was translated in English by BNI on October 25, 2017.

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