YANGON, May 1 (Xinhua) -- Myanmar government's recent peace negotiation with the Kayinni National Progressive Party (KNPP), an ethnic armed group operating in Kayah state, has made progress with the KNPP pledging commitment to continue efforts for joining the government's Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) as soon as possible.
The government's Peace Commission and representatives of the KNPP held a two-day formal peace talks in Kayah state's capital of Loikaw last weekend with the KNPP side, agreeing to follow three points in a short term before signing the NCA, which is expected to be realized in the upcoming third session of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference slated for late this month.
If both sides could sign the NCA at the conference, it would become a historic milestone, said Dr Tin Myo Win, Chairman of the Peace Commission following the peace talks.
The outcome of the peace talks is considered a constructive result for the ongoing peace and development of Kayah state, he added.
The three points to be followed by the KNPP are to carry out matters relating to local monitoring team and joint monitoring committee, to negotiate travel and communication of both troops at the state level and to hold regular coordination meetings; assigning liaison officers at state and union level; and the KNPP made progress in negotiating military matters as agreed by both sides and agreed to step up NCA signing.
The KNPP is the third armed group negotiating with the incumbent government for joining the ceasefire pact after the New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Lahu Democratic Union (LDU) entered the NCA on Feb. 13.
The NCA was initiated with eight armed groups on Oct. 15, 2015 during the previous government tenure. As a follow-up, two meetings of the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference were held in August 2016 and May 2017, respectively.
The second meeting of the peace conference was able to incorporate a total of 37 adopted principles into a union accord in the country's peace process.
The third meeting of the Panglong Peace Conference, scheduled for the end of May, will further discuss unfinished fundamental principles on federalism as well as the formulation of new principles for the establishment of a federal union.
State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi, who is also chairperson of the National Reconciliation and Peace Center, has called for inclusiveness in the country's national reconciliation and peace process, reiterating the government's welcome of non-ceasefire signatory armed groups to join the signing of NCA and be inclusive in formulating the new principles.
