Myanmar readies for national political dialogue

Myanmar is preparing to hold a national political dialogue in the coming months, state media reported on Sunday.

The dialogue would follow the regional dialogues that would come up within a week, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Union Peace Dialogue Joint Committee said preliminary meetings for the national dialogue would be held in December-January.

The government was working with the Kayin National Union (KNU), Kayin National Liberated Area (KNLA) and the Democratic Kayin Buddhist Army (DKBA) for the dialogue.

The outcome of the talks would be submitted to the Second Panglong Peace Conference in February 2017, in accordance with the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA).

The concession was aimed at paving the way for non-signatory armed groups to join the NCA.

However, the outbreak of military conflict in the border area of northern Myanmar's Shan province on November 20 has delayed the peace process.

--IANS

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