Suu Kyi holds ‘smoothing’ talks with Myanmar’s outgoing president

Myanmar’s democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi discussed the smooth transfer of power to her party with President Thein Sein on Wednesday, the first time the two have met since her National League for Democracy (NLD) swept a November election. When the new administration is sworn in early next year, it will be the first time since 1960 that a democratically elected government will take office in the country crippled by decades of military rule. But workable ties with the military, which retains considerable power, will be crucial for Suu Kyi as her party seeks a smooth debut in government.

They mainly focused on the smooth and peaceful transfer of the state responsibilities to the future government… to cooperate bilaterally so that there won’t be any concerns among the people.

President’s spokesman Ye Htu

However, Myanmar’s constitution is likely to be a bone of contention between the NLD and the military. It enshrines a power-sharing arrangement between the armed forces and an elected ruling party, regardless of the size of its public mandate. The military argues that is necessary to protect a fledgling democracy and maintain peace, but it means the NLD will need military support in governing an underdeveloped country with an outdated bureaucracy, weak infrastructure and ailing healthcare and education sectors. Suu Kyi, 70, wants to work with the military but has been clear about wanting to change parts of the constitution, including a clause that bars her from becoming president because her two children are foreign citizens.

Suu Kyi Politics