《TAIPEI TIMES 焦點》 Lawmakers to begin process of selecting Myanmar’s next president on March 17

/ Reuters, NAYPYIDAW and YANGON, Myanmar

Myanmar’s parliament is to begin its election of a new president on March 17, cutting very close to an April 1 deadline, suggesting that talks between Aung San Suu Kyi’s victorious party and the military are likely to take longer than planned.

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However, a top military lawmaker yesterday denied that Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy （NLD） and the armed forces were discussing provisions to change the constitution and allow the democracy champion to become the country’s new president.

Senior NLD members had told the media they would hold presidential elections this month, but the parliament yesterday decided the process would start two weeks before the new government is scheduled to begin its term, on April 1.

“I hereby announce that the meetings of the three presidential electoral colleges will be held effective March 17,” joint chamber Speaker Mahn Win Khaing Than said in parliament.

The NLD swept the historic Nov. 8 election, securing about 80 percent of elected seats in parliament.

That began a lengthy transition process during which the military and the NLD have been locked in negotiations, most probably over the shape of the new government and transfer of power, but details of the talks have been murky.

“There is no discussing between the military and NLD about Article 59 （f）,” said Brigadier General Tin San Naing, the spokesman of the military’s parliamentary caucus.

The article, which bars anyone with foreign children and spouses from becoming president, is seen as being aimed at Aung San Suu Kyi, whose children are British.

It can only be amended with the army’s approval, Tin San Naing said, adding: “The article can’t be suspended. It’s against the constitution. It has already been discussed in the parliament so it should not be proposed and discussed again.”

新聞來源：TAIPEI TIMES