YANGON, Jan. 23 (Xinhua) -- Two more ethnic armed groups in Myanmar, the New Mon State Party and Lahu Democratic Union, have agreed to sign the government's Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) soon, a joint statement issued by the two parties said Tuesday.
During their meeting with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and Sen-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services in Nay Pyi Taw, the matters relating to the signing of the NCA and continuing the peace process were discussed.
Aung San Suu Kyi told the press that she welcomes the two ethnic armed groups for promising to join hands with the government in the peace process.
Meanwhile, a total of eight ethnic armed groups had so far signed the NCA, initiated on Oct. 15, 2015.
Following the initiation of the NCA, the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conferences were held in August 2016 and May 2017 respectively.
The second meeting of the peace conference was able to incorporate a total of 37 adopted principles into a union accord in the country's peace process for the first time in Myanmar's history.
The third meeting of 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference is likely scheduled for next month for further discussion of fundamental principles on federalism and the formulation of the new principles.
