Yangon: Myanmar’s opposition leader has warned armed ethnic minority groups not to rush into signing a nationwide ceasefire deal, a position that pits her against President Thein Sein, who has made reaching a deal before November’s general election his top priority. Talks between more than a dozen rebel groups and the government have been on-again-off-again for more than 18 months.
Win Htein, an executive of the opposition National League for Democracy, said today that party leader Aung San Suu Kyi expressed her opinion at a meeting over the weekend with Maj Htoo Htoo Lay of the Karen National Union, which has announced it is ready to sign. Ethnic minority groups seeking greater autonomy have been fighting the central government for decades.
