Peace talks with Kachin postponed due to objections from Beijing
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The peace talks between the government and the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) have been postponed due to an objection from China, even though it was denied by the Chinese embassy, a Myanmar minister has said.
Win Tun, minister for Environmental Conservation and Forestry, made the revelation in a speech on Radio Free Asia (RFA) on Friday during a tour of European countries as a member of the government’s union level peace working committee.
Currently, the committee members are visiting European countries. Win Tun is one of
the members of the visiting delegation led by committee vice-chairman minister Aung Min. The team also includes members of the Myanmar Peace Centre.
“China seemed to be reluctant to invite representatives of the United Nations, the US and Britain to be present at the talks. It showed its reluctance on the Kachin side, not the government side. The invitation was made by the Kachin side,” Win Tun told the RFA.
The minister added: “We accept the countries representing the West. We are also open to all news and social organisations inside the country.”
The Chinese embassy released a statement on April 7 saying it is regrettable that the local media in Myanmar reported the peace talks due on April 6 were postponed because of an objection from the Chinese government. Actually, the postponement was due to logistics measures, it said.
In the statement, China says it has fully respected Myanmar’s independent sovereignty and territorial integrity.
Kachin social organisations, however, said they had reliable news sources that peace talks between the government and KIO were put off as it was objected by the Chinese government. They also said China made some objections during last month’s talks in the Chinese border town of Ruili.
Khun Jar from the Kachin Peace Network said: “Any nation, let alone China, cannot interfere in the affairs of other nations. China said it would be neutral. But looking back to history, China has always sought self-interest. For example, it supported the Burma Communist Party and armed the ethnic Wa. That means its interference in our national affairs. Now it is also interfering, which both the government and KIO should not accept.”
She also quoted KIO’s major general Gwan Maw on the sidelines of last month’s talks in Ruili as saying that China objected to the inclusion of a point stating neutralist states should be present when a joint statement was to be released.
“Thirteen Kachin organisations released a statement as it was certain that the peace talks due on 6th were postponed due to the Chinese government’s objection,” Khun Jar said.
The statement issued on April 6 stated that the point in paragraph 3 (A) in last month’s joint statement in Ruili was deleted because China objected.
The point said it was deemed necessary to have reliable countries as witnesses in coordinating ceasefire measures and ensuring mutual trust and respect for the emergence of genuine political dialogues.
