Myanmar government and some ethnic armed groups and ethnic parties signed a six-point deed of commitment for peace and national reconciliation in Nay Pyi Taw Thursday, according to the Myanmar Peace Center.

The deed of commitment was significantly signed on Myanmar's 68th anniversary Union Day.

Four armed groups out of 13 taking part in the signing include Karen National Union(KNU), KNU/ Karen National Liberation Army ( KNLA)- Peace Council, Shan State Army/ Restoration Council of Shan State (SSA/RCSS) and Democratic Karen Buddhist Army (DKBA).

However, the Kachin Independence Army (KIA), Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) and Karenni National Progress Party (KNPP) stayed out of the signing.

The signatories pledged to build a union based on democratic and federal principles in line with the outcome of political dialogue, to strive for reaching nationwide ceasefire agreement as soon as possible which is vital for all-inclusive political dialogue process and drawing up framework for political dialogue to be held ahead of 2015 general election.

The signatories pledged to undertake jointly to prevent clashes and confrontations between various armed groups during the peace process.

Meanwhile, in its statement released on Thursday, the KIA Central Committee vowed to cooperate with ethnic armed groups' Nationwide Ceasefire Coordination Team (NCCT) until the success for signing the nationwide ceasefire accord.

Peace negotiators of Myanmar government and ethnic armed groups originally set mid- January to hold the 7th round of formal peace talks to finalize the nationwide ceasefire accord draft. However, clashes between the government and the KIA recurring in the month, delayed the planned meeting.

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