The Restoration Council of Shan State / Shan State Army (RCSS/SSA) is ready to sign the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) if the government and the other armed resistance movements are ready, said Lt-Gen Yawdserk, Chairman of the RCSS/SSA.

“The RCSS doesn’t have any conditions except full assurances that the NCA will be followed immediately by political negotiations and that there will be international witnesses whose role will be not just being witnesses.”

The group also stands firmly by the Comprehensive Union Peace and Ceasefire Agreement (CUPCA) jointly drafted by the United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC) and non-UNFC groups in April, he said. “The 19 dialogue topics agreed there will be the basis for the negotiations,” he said.

The topics include:

1. Constitutional reforms
2. Security reforms
3. Economical questions
4. Humanitarian issues
5. Judicial reforms
6. Land issues
7. National reconciliation
8. Drug eradication
9. Infrastructure development
10. IDP/refugee issue
11. Labor issue
12. Education Standards
13. Language and cultural rights
14. Religious rights
15. Non-discrimination
16. Health standards
17. Tourism
18. Media issue
19. Participation of NGOs and role of civil society

“After the NCA signing, we all should push together to have the topics adopted,” he added.
The RCSS is concerned that setting out too many conditions before the NCA signing would only serve to delay the peace process, said SSA leaders.