" On 15 April, 2017, seven Ethnic Armed Organisations (EAOs) - all non-signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) - met in Pangkham, the de facto capital of the autonomous ?Wa State? within Shan State (northeast Myanmar). Convened by the United Wa State Army (UWSA) ? the most powerful of all ethnic militias in Myanmar ? the meeting lasted for five days, at the end of which the EAOs decided to create a new channel for political dialogue: the ?Union Political Negotiation Dialogue Committee (UPNDC)?. That this came nine days before the government announced the date for the second 21st Century Panglong Conference (21CPC) ? 24 May ?is a significant development in Myanmar?s complex ethnic peace process. It represents a potentially new approach towards reconciliation and brings to question the credibility of Nay Pyi Taw?s agenda for peace, spearheaded by State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi..."