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Myanmar peace talks adjourns for finalization bid of draft ceasefire agreement

Xinhua, March 22, 2015 Adjust font size:

The ongoing peace talks between the Myanmar government and ethnic armed groups will adjourn to take time for finalization of the draft nationwide ceasefire agreement being discussed, said a press briefing given by peace negotiators here Sunday.

It was announced at the end of the 6th day of the 7th round of peace talks in Yangon between the government's Union Peace-Making Work Committee (UPWC) and ethnic armed groups' Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) that as the remaining four points still have to seek consensus from the top level of both sides to be concluded.

U Khun Okka, who is NCCT member, told the press briefing that the resuming peace talks on March 30 will be signified by a continued talks of the 7th day of the 7th round rather than a new round with pledge to finalize the draft ceasefire accord.

U Hla Maung Shwe, UPWC member, revealed that this round of talks could complete discussion on all seven of the draft nationwide ceasefire agreement and the resuming talks on March 30 will conclude discussions on some four remaining points to be finalized.

Peace negotiators of Myanmar government and ethnic armed groups have held their formal 7th round of peace talks in Yangon since Tuesday focusing on some remaining points of the draft nationwide ceasefire accord left by the previous talks in a bid to finalize the draft and push for signing.

The UPWC side was led by its Vice Chairman U Aung Min, who is also Minister at the President's Office, while the NCCT side was headed by U Naing Han Tha.

In previous days'peace talks, peace negotiators of both sides agreed to raise conflict-hit Kokang as a separate issue to be discussed after the end of this round of talks.

NCCT called for inclusion of Kokang ethnic armed group, also known as Myanmar National Democratic Alliance Army (MNDAA), to ensure attaining peace, saying that MNDAA is a member of the NCCT and exclusion of the MNDAA in the ceasefire signing will be impossible to gain peace and the nationwide ceasefire accord would not be complete.

This round of six-day talks, participated by representatives of the parliament, military officials and government ministers, was witnessed by the United Nations Special Envoy Vijay Nambiar and Chinese Foreign Ministry Special Envoy for Asian Affairs Wang Yingfan.

Meanwhile, heavy fighting between the government forces and the Kokang ethnic army continued almost on a daily basis and on Sunday, fighting recurred in Kachin state with government forces airstriking the Kachin Independence Army (KIA) in the state's Mansi township, according to KIA. Endi