"The Burmese government on Friday signed a ceasefire agreement at state level with the Shan State Army-South (SSA-South), one of the major ethnic militias in Burma?s restive border regions, while its military operations show no sign of abating in Kachin State. According to official sources at the meeting in Taunggyi between representatives of the Shan State administration and the SSA-South, led by Brig-Gen Sai Lu, the agreement included not only a ceasefire, but government assurances of economic development, a joint-task force working against illegal drugs in Shan State, and the opening of liaison offices. Sources say the next step in the truce is to hold a series of negotiations between a Union-level peace committee and the SSA-South..."