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Myanmar key players in rare roundtable talks

Friday, 31 October 2014


Myanmar's president is holding rare roundtable talks with the opposition, military and ethnic groups, as the US called for "credible" polls next year.
The meeting comes days after officials announced the next general election would be held in late 2015.
Ahead of the meeting, US President Barack Obama held telephone talks with both President Thein Sein and opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi.
He urged Thein Sein to ensure the polls were "inclusive".
The gathering, being held in the capital Naypyitaw, will reportedly focus on the peace process, national reconciliation and political reform.
Senior officials attending are said to include the president, both vice-presidents, the two parliamentary speakers, the military chief and representatives from various ethnic political parties.
Ms Suu Kyi, whose party the National League for Democracy (NLD) is the official opposition, has called for such a meeting in the past, according to a news agency.