BANGKOK – Protests this past week in Myanmar over persistent power shortages have provided a test of how the country’s elected but military-backed government will respond to rising expectations sparked by democratic reforms.YANGON, Myanmar – Myanmar’s government and ethnic Kachin rebels have met for cease-fire talks to end several months of armed clashes near the northern border with China.
After two days of talks ending today, a government team and members of the Kachin Independence Organization agreed to continue talks later and inform each other before deploying more troops.
An official said the meetings took place in Ruili, China but the next round would take place in Myanmar. The official declined to be named because he was not authorized to speak to reporters.
The negotiations were the latest efforts by Myanmar’s new, nominally civilian government to end the country’s long-running ethnic conflicts. That is a key demand by the West for lifting sanctions.
