Myanmar government, rebels discuss ceasefire deal

The Myanmar government's Peace-Making Work Committee (PMWC) and the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) met in the national capital Nay Pyi Taw on Sunday to discuss a nationwide ceasefire, according to the Myanmar Peace Centre.

The PMWC delegation was led by its chairman and Vice President Sai Mauk Kham, while the KIO was headed by its general secretary La Kya and its army's deputy chief Guan Maw, Xinhua reported.

The Myanmar government called for a prompt nationwide ceasefire so as to hold political dialogue, while the KIO side wanted to put forward a proposal to both President U Thein Sein and Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services Min Aung Hlaing.

According to U Hla Maung Shwe, an official of the Myanmar Peace Centre, KIO and military officials will again meet in the capital on Monday to continue their discussions.

The PMWC and ethnic armed groups' Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) are expected to hold their seventh round of peace talks on Tuesday to finalise a draft nationwide ceasefire accord.

The peace talks, originally set for mid-January, were delayed by fresh clashes between the government forces and the Kachin Independence Army.

On February 12, the Myanmar government and four ethnic armed groups out of 13 and 55 political parties out of 61 signed a six-point commitment to peace and national reconciliation in Nay Pyi Taw.

However, the KIO, along with Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Karenni National Progressive Party (KNPP), did not sign the deal.

The signatories pledged to finalise a nationwide ceasefire agreement as soon as possible and draw up framework for a political dialogue to be held ahead of the 2015 general election.

The last round of ceasefire talks approved the fourth draft of a ceasefire agreement in September last year.