Myanmar's Aung San Suu Kyi says rebel groups shouldn't rush peace deal

HOPONE, MYANMAR | BY SOE ZEYA TUN

The Nobel peace laureate's comments come ahead of a meeting between Myanmar President Thein Sein and ethnic rebel groups on Wednesday in the capital Naypyitaw to discuss a draft of the long-discussed ceasefire proposal.

Clinching the deal with most of Myanmar's rebel groups would be a political win for Thein Sein, who made it his top priority, boosting the chances of his ruling Union Solidarity and Development Party in the Nov. 8 general election.

The draft of the agreement was hammered out during almost two years of grueling negotiations, but ethnic armed groups have so far refused to sign it, saying the government should amend the constitution to grant more autonomy to ethnic minorities.

"If the ceasefire agreement is the real agreement to stop fighting, I want to accomplish it as soon as possible. But it has to be real and true," Suu Kyi said in a speech in the town of Hopone.

-- Reuters 2015-09-07