Negotiation between the government's UPMW and ethnic armed groups. (Source: Xinhua/VNA)Myanmar’s government on October 12 removed three armed groups from the list of illegitimate organisations.
The groups - Kayin National Union (KNU), All Burma Students' Democratic Front (ABSDF) and Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) – are among eight groups agreeing with the government to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA), which is slated for October 15 in Nay Pyi Taw.
The Myanmar Peace Centre said that the NCA conclusion will lay the foundation for the peace process approved by all sides.
On March 31, the government’s Union Peace Making Work Committee (UPMW) and the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) of the armed ethnic groups inked the draft NCA after more than one year of negotiation.
The two sides will draw up a political framework within 60 days and begin a political dialogue within 90 days.
Myanmar’s peace process negotiations started in November 2003 with a meeting between the UPMW and the NCCT in Kachin state. The last negotiation round took place in Yangon last August.-VNA
