The New Mon State Party (NMSP) and the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS) won’t be joining the Peace Process Steering Team (PPST) when they meet with the National Solidarity and Peace-making Negotiation Committee (NSPNC) of the military regime in Naypyidaw.

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After meeting in the Thai northern city of Chiang Mai last week, they decided only some five members will meet the regime’s leaders in the capital from 23 to 28 June.

Ethnic armed organisations (EAOs) that signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) formed the PPST several years ago to negotiate with the government.

PPST spokesperson Col Saw Kyaw Nyunt said, “We have agreed to continue working with all 7 members of the PPST even though RCSS and NMSP won’t attend the peace talks in Naypyidaw this time around.”

Not all EAOs in the country have signed the NCA, so it is not uncommon for PPST members sometimes not to meet as a bloc. RCSS and NMSP will meet with the committee individually, Saw Kyaw Nyunt says.

In late March, all 7 members of PPST met with regime leaders for informal peace-talks in Naypyidaw.