An interview with U Khaing Thukha, Spokesperson of the AA

“It is a matter for us to decide based on what they said and how to do it after this meeting. It is too early to say whether it is constructive or not.” U Khaing Thukha, Spokesperson of the AA

According to the mediation by China on 1 June, delegates from the Myanmar National Truth and Justice Party/ Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNTJP/MNDAA), the Palaung State Liberation Front / Ta’ang National Liberation Army (PSLF/TNLA) and the United League of Arakan/Arakan Army (ULA/AA) are holding a talk with the delegates from National Solidarity and Peacemaking Negotiation Committee (NSPNC) formed by the military council, at Mongla Special Region-4 in the eastern Shan State.

The meeting was also attended by Mr. Guo Bao, Special Envoy of Foreign Affairs Department of Yunnan Province of China. The Narinjara asked U Khaing Thukha, Spokesperson of the AA about the main topics discussed at the meeting and whether this meeting is constructive as Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, Spokesperson of the military council said.

Q: The Northern Alliance is holding talks with the military council in Mongla from 1 to 3 June. What is the status of the meeting?

A: Yes. Yesterday, there was a meeting between our Three Brotherhood Alliance and the military council’s delegation. What we talked about at the meeting are: (1) The release of those arrested in connection with the AA, (2) the removal of the AA from the list of illegal associations and (3) timely and smooth delivery of humanitarian assistance to the people affected by Cyclone Mocha in Arakan State. We mainly discussed the above-mentioned matters.

Q: This is what you discussed at the meeting. How did the military council negotiate?

A: The topics mainly discussed at yesterday’s meeting are: establishing a multi-party democratic country, building a democratic federal union and building trust. The military council mainly elaborated on these facts.

Q: What kind of effects and what changes can we expect from this meeting?

A: This meeting is mainly sponsored by the People’s Republic of China. Therefore, at this meeting, we listened to what the delegation of the military council said. They also listened to what we said. There is nothing special.

Q: Maj-Gen Zaw Min Tun, Spokesperson of the military council told the BBC that this meeting is constructive. May I know your comment on it?

A: It’s too early to say whether it is constructive or not. It is a matter for us to decide based on what they said and how to do it after this meeting.