The KNU general secretary Padoh Saw Tah Doh Moo said the KNU welcomes the desire of both the government and the EAOs to hold the summit in Poppa in central Myanmar on October 15 but it wants to negotiate the date in order to do necessary preparations.

“Since the leaders will be participating in the discussion, our leaders have the same desire to be fully prepared in order to solve the deadlock issues. That’s why we will negotiate with the authorities concerning the summit, which will be held on the 15th,” said Padoh Saw Tah Doh Moo.

The leaders of the ten signatories of the nationwide ceasefire agreement (NCA) will hold a meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand on October 10-11 and the KNU will discuss the issue on renegotiating the summit’s date.

“Non-secession isn’t included in the NCA. Also, the basic principles on accepting the single army is not included in the NCA. In implementing the NCA, there are deadlocks in the issues on the need to continue the discussion on military affairs, difference in the definition of the NCA, difference in the interim period, and opposing views on the political dialogue. That’s why we need to do many preparations to resolve them,” he continued.

However, the government has not made any responses concerning the KNU’s statement.

“I believe we need to prepare a principle that can be accepted by everyone after considering the format in order to provide guarantee to the democratic system and the ethnic people. No matter how many principles have been set down, I believe they can fail anytime later on if it cannot protect politics in terms of security,” said Nai Hong Sar, vice-chair of the New Mon State Party (NMSP), who is going to attend the summit.

The upcoming October 15 will mark the third anniversary of the signing of the NCA and respective leaders will attend the five-day summit so they expect to obtain basic principles on solving the deadlock peace issues.