Myanmar government did not invite the Arakan Army (AA) to the “Union Peace Conference” which is also known as 21st Century Panglong. The conference is scheduled for 19th to 21st August in Myanmar’s capital Naypyidaw. Up to now, four rounds of peace negotiations held under Aung San Suu Kyi’s ruling National League for Democracy (NLD) government.
The government spokesman and director-general of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi’s office, Zaw Htay said, invitations to the peace conference were extended to 10 ethnic armies that have signed the government’s nationwide cease-fire agreement (NCA) since October 2015, as well as seven insurgent groups that have not signed it.
On Wednesday at a press conference, he said, “We will invite seven non-signatories, but there are legal restrictions against inviting certain organizations, and we will not be able to invite them.” In March 2020, the government declared the AA an illegal association and terrorist organization.
