DHAKA: Myanmar peace negotiators on Monday agreed the draft text of a historic nationwide ceasefire agreement, as the country edges closer to ending decades of conflict between ethnic minority groups and the government.

The tentative deal, which comes as heavy fighting between the military and rebel groups continues to ravage a northern border area, sets out the framework for a countrywide ceasefire - a key target of the government as the nation heads towards crucial elections later this year.

But the draft still needs approval from all of the 16 ethnic armed groups involved in the talks.

‘This is the first step to signing a nationwide ceasefire agreement and to move to political dialogue,’ said Naing Han Tha, who led the ethnic group negotiators, adding that the long-elusive deal would only be signed after a conference of the rebel groups, reports The Straits Times.

BDST: 2043 HRS, MAR 30, 2015