New Karen leaders seek dialog

New Karen leaders seek dialog

BANGKOK (Reuters): The new leadership of Myanmar's Karen National Union guerrillas has called on Myanmar's military government to enter into "a meaningful dialogue" to bring the group's 51-year insurgency to an end.

The call came after a meeting of the group's governing congress and follows the replacement of long-serving president Gen. Bo Mya by KNU secretary-general Ba Thin on Wednesday.

Talks between the Karen and Myanmar's ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) have been stalled for the past three years and some analysts say the change to a civilian leader in Ba Thin could help revive the process.

Peace talks broke down due to the government's insistence that the Karen lay down their arms and Yangon's unwillingness to accept tripartite talks involving ethnic minorities and the political opposition led by Nobel peace Laureate Aung San Suu Kyi.