New Karen leaders seek dialog

Sat, 29 Jan 2000, 00:00 WIB | Source: REUTERS

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.

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