Negotiators of the Myanmar Government and armed ethnic minority groups resumed their ceasefire talks at the Myanmar Peace Centre in Yangon on July 22 in an effort to formally ratify the draft nationwide ceasefire accord (NCA).

The 8 th round of peace talks between the Government's Union Peace-Making Work Committee (UPWC) and the ethnic minority groups' Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team is expected to focus on the finalisation of the NCA, the signing of the draft accord, the role of the signatories and the matter of international witnesses, as outlined in the unofficial talks in Chiangmai, Thailand.

On March 31, the UPWC and NCCT signed a draft NCA comprising seven chapters. According to the draft NCA, the document, once signed by the leaders of the two sides, will be forwarded to parliament for approval and a framework for political dialogue will be established.

The peace process began in November 2013 when UPWC and NCCT met in Myitgyina, Kachin state's capital, for the very first time to initiate the nationwide ceasefire talks.-VNA