Agreement has been reached between government and ethnic negotiators on the structure of a future nationwide ceasefire agreement, or NCA, according to two delegates from the Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT), which represents 17 ethnic armed groups at the talks.
Speaking after the fourth day of negotiations in Rangoon on Friday, Col. Hkun Okkar confirmed that both the NCCT and the government’s Union Peace-making Work Committee (UPWC) had agreed to a specific timeframe and agenda for implementing a ceasefire which will include a framework for political dialogue.
“We discussed Section 3, issues concerning troops; Section 4, joint monitoring; and Section 5, measures to strengthen the ceasefire agreement,” he told DVB. “The negotiations were good. We reached common agreements. There are still some points left to discuss, but we have no major differences. We can say that we are moving the process forward.”
[related]
Saw Mra Raza Linn, an Arakanese representative with the NCCT, told DVB that both sides agreed to hold regular joint-meetings to implement all agreements.
“We have agreed on a structure for proceeding,” she said. “After we have signed the NCA, both sides will appoint teams to assure implementation of all decisions at these regular meetings, which will include members of the Joint Monitoring Committee and Political Dialogue Framework Drafting Committee.”
On Saturday, the NCCT and UPWC are due to discuss the so-called Road Map – the framework by which political dialogue will be exercised – which, if agreed, will be put to the union parliament for approval.
