YANGON: Myanmar held fresh talks with Kachin ethnic minority rebels yesterday, vowing to keep up efforts to find an elusive breakthrough in a conflict that has overshadowed dramatic political reforms.
The two sides agreed to continue dialogue with the aim of reaching a “strong ceasefire” in Myanmar’s violence-wracked far north, according to a joint statement released after the talks in the Chinese border town of Ruili.
They agreed to hold another meeting before the end of February.
“Both sides discussed in a friendly and open manner,” said Hla Maung Shwe, a government-appointed mediator who took part in the meeting.
“As we have agreed on future talks, I think it was positive,” he said by telephone.
Although a dozen rounds of talks between the government and the Kachin since 2011 have failed to make progress, the fact that the two sides were meeting at all for the first time in months was seen as a positive development.
Senior Chinese officials also took part in the meeting, along with Minister of the President’s Office Aung Min and Kachin leaders
AFP
