A peace delegation from the Kayin National Union/Kayin National Liberation Army (Peace Council) KNU/KNLA (PC) met with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, the Chairman of the State Administration Council (SAC), in Naypyitaw on 26 May.

The KNU/KNLA (PC) delegation was led by the organisation’s chairperson, Saw Htaw Lay.

According to Colonel Saw Kyaw Nyunt, the KNU/KNLA (PC) joint-secretary, an agreement was reached with the junta Military Council that was based on their discussions about forming a federal union.

He said: “We need to form a federal democratic union which could lead to short-term peace or a longer-lasting peace. It [the federal democratic union] must be based on agreements reached by all the relevant political parties.”

The delegates also discussed how a multi-party democratic system, that is wanted by all the people, could work and the establishment of a federal Union based on a federal democratic system.

The peace talks between the junta and the KNU/KNLA (PC) took place between 26 and 28 May. After meeting with Min Aung Hlaing on 26 May the KNU/KNLA (PC) delegation met with the Military Council’s Peace Talk Team on 27 and 28 May.

Representing the junta in the meetings were the leader of the Peace Talks Team, Lt- Gen Yar Pyae, who is the National Solidarity and Peacemaking Negotiation Committee (NSPNC) Chairman and the Union Minister of the Government Office (1); the Military Council Member Lt-Gen Moe Myint Tun; and the NSPNC Secretary Lt-Gen Min Naung.

Representing the KNU/KNLA (PC) were the KNU/KNLA (PC) chairperson, Saw Htay Lay, the vice-chairperson Dr Naw Kapaw Htoo and the Central Executive Committee Member Saw Maung Maung. On the final day of the talks the Military Council issued a statement saying that the two sides had discussed peace and development issues and had signed an agreement. Neither side released any details of the agreement and it is not known what was in it.

The KNU/KNLA (PC) is the third ethnic armed organization (EAO) to recently hold talks with the Military Council.

The Military Council has been holding peace talks with different ethnic groups in Naypyitaw since 20 May and has already had meetings with the Restoration Council of Shan State (RCSS/SSA) and the New Mon State Party (NMSP).

Despite these peace meetings the junta is still attacking civilians and setting fire to houses and villages across the country.