EAO reps discussed whether to transform the Peace Process Steering Team into the re-envisioned Peace Process Consultative Meeting.

Ethnic armed organizations (EAOs) signatory to Burma’s Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) agreed to focus on common ground as they move forward amid deadlock in the peace process.

The discussions took place during their fourth summit, held at the Khum Phucome Hotel in Chiang Mai, Thailand, from May 14-18.

The NCA signatory EAOs released a statement on Saturday following the completion of the summit’s first session, declaring that they would “systematically set up [draft] federal principles and then negotiate them with the government and Tatmadaw leaders.”

“We agreed on common ground to overcome the deadlock and to set up the federal principles,” Nai Hongsa, deputy chairperson of the New Mon State Party (NMSP) said in a press conference on Saturday.

During the five-day meeting, EAO representatives discussed whether to transform the Peace Process Steering Team (PPST) into the re-envisioned Peace Process Consultative Meeting (PPCM) and encountered internal disagreements over the issue. The PPCM would be a re-structuring of the mechanism and could potentially involve EAOs not signatory to the NCA.

The Karen National Union (KNU) reportedly proposed a withdrawal of their organization from the PPST, but their concerns with the steering team and their discussions regarding the PPCM were tabled for the next meaning.

“No EAO withdrew in this meeting. Discussions about the PPST issue are still underway. The PPST will still exist. We are still discussing the PPCM,” Col Sai Nguen, Secretary (2) of the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS), said in a press conference on Saturday. “We will continue to discuss it. This is the first session of fourth on summit. So we will decide these issues in the second session.”

Leaders said the next session would be held as soon as possible.

Representatives from the 10 NCA signatory EAOS attended the first session: the KNU, NMSP, RCSS, and the All Burma Students Democratic Front, Arakan Liberation Party, Chin National Front, Democratic Karen Buddhist Army, Karen National Liberation Army-Peace Council, Lahu Democratic Union and the Pa-O National Liberation Organization. Also in attendance were representatives from the Kachin Independence Army and the Karenni National Progressive Party who were there as observers.