Myanmar state counselor calls for immediate end to armed conflicts in North

YANGON - Myanmar's State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi on Wednesday urged armed groups in northern Myanmar to join the government's peace process by signing the Nationwide Ceasefire Accord (NCA) to immediately end the conflicts.

Suu Kyi, in the capacity of chairperson of the National Reconciliation and Peace Center, made the call in her first remarks after military conflicts broke out in the border areas four days ago.

She extended sympathy and condolences to victims who had lost their lives and those who had been wounded.

"At a time when people of Myanmar are in the process of striving for national reconciliation and peace that had remained elusive to them in the past, it is extremely disappointing and saddening that these incidents are instigated," she said.

"Mining of bridges and attacks on border posts by these armed groups also cut off flow of trade, transport and communication, thus deterimently affecting the socio-economic lives of civilian population in the area," she said.

She stressed that taking up arms would not bring about any desired goals of the people but only lead to protracted armed conflicts.