The third 21^st Century Panglong Union Peace Conference (UPC) has begun in Nay Pyi Taw, amid a disagreement about the ongoing conflicts around the country. The conference began with a speech by Commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, who said that ethnic armed groups had unnecessarily delayed negotiations, instead of seeking a resolution to the conflict, according to a story in Frontier. “If you really love your country and your race, I would like to urge you to wipe out the civil armed conflicts that hinder the development of our country,” he was reported as saying in his opening remarks. Colonel Khun Okkar, a member of the Pa-O National Liberation Organisations, which has signed the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA), told Frontier he “didn’t understand” why Min Aung Hlaing made those comments. “The ethnic armed groups and the government have never accused anyone of delaying the peace process,” he said. At the conference, Min Aung Hlaing is expected to meet with representatives from four non-signatory groups: the Kachin Independence Army, National Democratic Alliance Army, Shan State Army-North and the United Wa State Army. The conference will run from July 11 to 16.