Myanmar held preliminary peace talks with an umbrella group of ethnic minorities to try and resolve the conflict in the north part of the country.  This week’s talks are in addition to early discussions with Kachin separatists taking place in China.

The Kachins criticized the new talks as unproductive, but the Myanmar government and United Nationalities Federal Council say the talks were merely to map out a framework and timeframe for future dialogue, which is likely to come with another round of discussions within two months.

The cease-fire with the Kachin Independence Army broke down two years ago, and tens of thousands of people have been displaced.