Reuters-Myanmar sees peace with Kar

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Subject: Reuters-Myanmar sees peace with Karen rebels soon

Myanmar sees peace with Karen rebels soon
04:37 a.m. Mar 14, 1999 Eastern
YANGON, March 14 (Reuters) - Myanmar's military government has said it is
confident it will soon reach a peace agreement with the Karen National
Union(KNU), the last remaining ethnic armed group fighting the government.

The official Myanmar News Agency quoted Secretary-1 of ruling State Peace
and Development (SPDC) Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt as saying: ``We are
confident that our endeavours for national reconsolidation will be duly
rewarded and the KNU will also join hands with us in the not too distant
future''

It was the first time a top SPDC leader expressed optimism about a peace
agreement with KNU since talks between the two sides broke off after four
rounds a few years ago.

``We entered into negotiations with the armed groups on the basis of
goodwill and good faith and in the spirit of mutual accommodation for the
larger interest of the country,'' General Khin Nyunt said in his greeting
speech to a group from the U.S.-based Young Presidents' Organisation on
Saturday.

He said 17 armed groups had already returned to the legal fold, leaving the
KNU at the Myanmar-Thai border the only group still fighting against
successive Myanmar governments for greater autonomy.