Myanmar government, armed groups to hold political dialogue

The Myanmar government's Central Peace Making Work Committee and representatives of ethnic armed groups Tuesday agreed to hold a political dialogue at the soonest, a statement said.

The two sides set December to meet again in Pha-an in southeastern Kayin state, Xinhua reported citing a joint statement issued at the closing of two-day nationwide ceasefire talks in Myitgyina, northernmost Kachin state's capital.

In order to obtain political consent, the two sides agreed to have a nationwide ceasefire, discuss the framework of the political dialogue and hold the dialogue.

During the two-day Myitgyina talks, the ethnic armed groups' nationwide ceasefire coordination team presented to the government side its 11-point stance reached at their prior Laiza Peace Conference, while the government's Central Peace Making Work Committee put forward its draft of the nationwide ceasefire agreement.

However, no other specific results were produced, said participants at the talks, the first ever peace talks between the government and 17 ethnic armed groups in six decades held Monday and Tuesday.

The historical talks involving the largest number of ethnic armed groups came two days after leaders of 17 ethnic armed groups signed an 11-point framework agreement themselves in Laiza for making a nationwide ceasefire deal with the government.

In the Laiza conference, the ethnic armed groups also formed a nationwide ceasefire coordination team for the move.