Myanmar allows NCA non-signatories to participate at peace conference
Myanmar President’s Office Spokesperson U Zaw Htay on August 15 said the government decided to allow armed groups who have yet to sign the National Ceasefire Accord (NCA), to participate in the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference slated for August 31.
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Ahead of the Panglong conference, the government will hold dialogues with non-signatories this weekend.
According to the spokesperson, the political dialogue mechanism will be discussed at the Panglong conference until all sides reach agreement, while non-signatories will sign the NCA and continue participating in the conference.
It is estimated that around 1,600 people will attend the Panglong conference which will last for five days. The conference will be held every six months.
Aung San Suu Kyi, Myanmar's State Counsellor and President of the UPDJC, called on all sides to believe in each other and unify in order to make a success of the conference.
Myanmar’s previous government signed the NCA with eight armed ethnic groups on October 15, 2015, and formed two committees, the UPDJC and the Joint Ceasefire Monitoring Committee, to implement the peace process, which has yet to complete as seven other groups have not signed the agreement.
