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KIO agrees to peace talks with Myanmar Government
Posted By
: PNA
Post Date : 1 Feb 2013
Post Date : 1 Feb 2013
Confirmed
earlier this week, the Myanmar government has agreed to a round of peace talks
with Kachin rebels; the talks will be hosted by the United Wa State Army
(UWSA).
After
several months of escalated violence in Kachin state, The Kachin Independence
Organization (KIO) accepted an offer by the United Wa State Army (UWSA) to host
peace talks with the Burmese government’s Union-level Peacemaking Committee.
The agreement was reached Tuesday and is in response to a written offer made by
the Wa army to the KIO on January 24.
The
spokesman for UWSA, Aung Myint commented on the talks, adding that the Wa group
would mediate the negotiations and had suggested holding a meeting in Panghsang
in northern Shan State. The UWSA has expressed concern over the conflict in
Kachin state, and suggested if efforts are not made to reconcile issues in
Kachin state, the conflict will spread to other states within Myanmar.
On
Tuesday, peace broker Hla Maung Shwe of Myanmar Peace Council confirmed that
the government’s representatives would go to Panghsang if the Kachins were
willing to negotiate. He said that the government’s chief negotiator Aung Min
would attend. Currently, no date is set for the peace talks.
The UWSA
signed a ceasefire agreement with the Burmese government in 1989 and will act
as a mediator during the talks as skepticism and distrust are sentiments felt
by all participants.
Burma's
presidential spokesman Ye Htut confirmed the peace talks on Thursday after
Kachin rebels agreed they could take place in eastern Shan state's Panghsang at
the headquarters of the UWSA.
The
UWSA, Myanmar's largest ethnic
opposition group, with close ties to neighboring China, has also alluded to
China’s interest on the matter. After intensified fighting between KIA forces
and the Myanmar government during the month of December, efforts to attack
areas around La Ja Yang and KIO headquarters in Laiza, on the border with
China, resulted in several shells landing along the border and in Chinese
territory.
Security
analysts speculate, the Wa have been carefully watching the conflict in Kachin
state and quietly building up a stronger military deterrent with China's help.
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