Ethnic armed groups in Myanmar on November 2 signed a framework
agreement to pave the way for signing nationwide cease-fire with the
government at the end of a four-day Ethnic Armed Groups Conference in
the border town of Laiza, northernmost Kachin state, sources said.
The nine-point draft framework agreement mainly called for holding political dialogue with the government within a few months.
It also includes acceptable political roadmaps to both sides, promising to hold political dialogue and trust building.
The
framework plan will be presented to government’s central peace making
group on November 4 in Myitgyina, the capital of Kachin state.
The
conference of leaders of ethnic armed groups, which began on November
30, mainly discussed nationwide ceasefire, political dialogue and
establishment of federal union system.
The conference was organised by the Kachin Independence Organisation (KIO) and 17 other armed groups.
In his monthly radio speech to the nation on Friday November 1,
Myanmar President U Thein Sein expressed his belief that the Laiza
conference would pave way for implementing political dialogue process
between the government and the armed groups.
Thein Sein, in his
message to the conference one day earlier, also hoped that the
conference would reach a basic agreement on building ceasefire accord
and holding politic dialogue with government to build lasting peace in
the country.
Since August 2011, the government has reached peace deals with 14 ethnic armed groups.-VNA