(VOVworld) - A meeting of armed ethnic groups in Myanmar will be held in the northern state of Kachin on July 26 in preparation for the 21st Century Panglong Peace Conference scheduled for late August in Nay Pyi Taw, local media reported on Sunday.

The decision was made at a meeting in Chiang Mai, Thailand, last Friday between representatives of eight signatories and nine non-signatories to the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) and United Nationalities Federal Council (UNFC).

According to the Preparatory Committee for the conference, Myanmar’s State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi will meet representatives of non-signatory armed groups this Sunday to talk about the peace process.

The Myanmar government and eight armed ethnic groups signed the accord on October 15, 2015.