Myanmar pledges to continue peace process

YANGON, Dec 22 (Xinhua): Myanmar's National Reconciliation and Peace Centre (NRPC) has pledged to continue to strive towards the participation of eight remaining non-ceasefire signatory ethnic armed organisations in political dialogue, while strengthening the ceasefire already achieved with 10 armed organisations.
The NRPC made the pledge in a press release issued late on Friday in response to a military announcement issued earlier on the day that the military will suspend of all its military action against armed groups in operation areas in five military command regions for over four months starting from December 21 until April 30, 2019.
Welcoming the military's announcement, the NRPC stressed the importance to hold discussions during the peace process to reduce mutual concerns existing between the armed forces and the armed organisations on military matters.
According to Friday's announcement of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services, during the military's non-operation period, ethnic armed groups in respective operation areas are to negotiate for ceasefire and peace with the NRPC and group-wise negotiations are also needed with all those remaining non-ceasefire signatory armed groups scattered in the northern, northeastern, eastern, middle-eastern and triangle military command areas to sign the Nationwide Cease fire Accord (NCA).
The military's announcement came after December 12 joint statement of the non-ceasefire signatory Northern Alliance Ethnic Forces, comprising three ethnic armed groups, in which the armed groups voiced support for the government's efforts for national reconciliation and nationwide peace.
The three forces, which are Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Arakan Army (AA), expressed their desire to join hands with government forces to settle military dispute and political matters through dialogue.