Myanmar's third ethnic summit begins

The third Myanmar ethnic summit began Friday in the country's northernmost Kachin state.

The three-day summit of ethnic leaders at the headquarters of the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) came after peace negotiators of the Myanmar government and ethnic armed groups adopted their second draft in Yangon in May, Xinhua reported.

A 16-member Leading Committee for the Third Ethnic Summit, led by chairman of Kayin National Union (KNU), Gen. Saw Mutu Say Poe, was formed Thursday, a day ahead of the summit.

The second draft agreement, once finalised, is expected to be presented in formal talks between the government's Peace-Making Work Committee (PMWC) and the ethnic armed groups' National Cease-fire Coordination Team (NCCT).

The first ethnic summit was held in Kachin in October-November 2013.

The second summit took place in KNU-controlled Law Khee Lar or Laywa in Kayin state in January 2014.

The PMWC and the NCCT met in Yangon for the very first time in early April for ceasefire talks, working out the first draft of a nationwide ceasefire agreement, while the second draft was produced in May.