Myanmar's President Thein Sein met ethnic rebel peace negotiators for the first time in the capital Naypyidaw Wednesday in an effort to secure a long-awaited nationwide ceasefire before looming November elections.

More than two years of negotiations aimed at bringing an end to decades of civil war in Myanmar's rugged borderlands have seen the government bring together ethnic minority rebels and the feared army to thrash out a peace process framework.

But while the talks have produced a ceasefire document -- seen as a historic first step in the peace process -- they have stuttered over lingering mistrust and disagreements over which rebel factions should be allowed to sign the deal.

Observers say Thein Sein is eager to sign the ceasefire deal and cement his legacy as a peacemaker before the Nov. 8 polls, which are set to redraw the political landscape with expectations of huge gains by Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition.

Wednesday's meeting ended without that agreement, but negotiators said the process was inching forward as Thein Sein considered making concessions to extra groups, some of whom are still fighting the army, who may now be able to observe the signing of the deal.

He also reiterated an invitation for the groups to sign the deal in the coming weeks.

"[Ethnic armies] did not confirm they would sign during today's meeting. But the guarantees given by the government today mean that most are likely to sign up," said Hla Maung Shwe, a senior member of the negotiating team at the Myanmar Peace Center.

Myanmar's government has agreed to allow 15 ethnic armed groups to ink the deal, but it has rejected some half a dozen organizations put forward by a consortium of ethnic minority armies seeking full inclusion in the ceasefire.

Nine leaders from top ethnic rebel groups were present at the Naypyidaw talks, including from the political wing of the Kachin Independence Army -- one of the country's largest rebel armies.

But Myanmar's powerful military sent only lower ranking representatives to the Naypyidaw talks.

Conflict in Kachin state has left some 100,000 people displaced since a ceasefire deal collapsed soon after the end of junta rule in 2011.

Fighting between government troops and rebels also erupted this year in the Kokang region of northern Shan state, causing tens of thousands of people to flee their homes, many into China.

The inclusion of the Kokang rebels in the peace deal -- along with combat allies the Arakan Army and Ta'ang National Liberation Army (TNLA) -- has proved controversial for the military.

"All inclusiveness is the best policy. It is better if everyone is involved in the country's peace," Padoh Saw Kwe Htoo Win, a senior ethnic armed group representative, told AFP before the meeting.

Thein Sein's quasi-civilian government, which took power four years ago, sees a nationwide ceasefire as opening the way to more complex political dialogue and questions of federalism.

The army for decades hung its legitimacy on stamping its own concept of unity on the diverse nation, and was accused of widespread abuses across ethnic minority areas.

Popular

Govt eyes September for mass relocation of civil servants to Nusantara

Govt claims 'mudik' 2024 traffic management a success

Public hopes swell ahead of election dispute ruling