[Myanmar] Kachin Peace Talks Put On Hold

The Kachin Independence Organization (KIO) has called off a planned meeting to negotiate an end to the conflict in Kachin State because it wants to talk with the Burmese government, not the army. “This is not a problem between the armies. It is just because of the government’s policy; it does not want to solve the ethnic problems through political means,†said KIO spokesperson La Nan in an email quoted by The Myanmar Times on Monday. Plans to meet had earlier been held up by a disagreement over a venue. Several rounds of talks have been held since the conflict began last June.