YANGON (Reuters) – The Kachin Independence Army (KIA) said yesterday it had agreed to hold talks with Myanmar’s government in China next week, to try to end stubborn conflict with the military that has intensified in the past two months.
The KIA said in a statement the Chinese government “will take a role as a witness and mediate during the meeting” adding that it urged “the Kachin community, our friends and supporters around the world to pray for our leaders.”
The meeting will be held tomorrow in the Chinese border town of Ruili, which has hosted three rounds of talks since a 17-year ceasefire broke down in June 2011. The two sides have met at least eight times but have failed to agree on terms for a permanent truce.
