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Tuesday, February 9, 2016, Magh 27, 1422 BS, Rabius Sani 28, 1437 Hijri


Suu Kyi could become prez after 'positive talks'
Presidential vote to start on March 17
Published :Tuesday, 9 February, 2016,  Time : 12:00 AM  View Count : 15
YANGON, Feb 8 : Talks between Burma's military chief and Aung San Suu Kyi on suspending a constitutional clause that prevents her from becoming the president could yield "positive results", two pro-government television channels are reporting.
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy Party won a landslide victory in the November 8 general elections. But she is barred from becoming president because of the Constitution's Article 59 (f), which says anyone with a foreign spouse or children cannot hold the executive office. Suu Kyi's late husband was British as are her two sons.
In separate but identical broadcasts late Sunday, Sky Net and Myanmar National Television said "positive results could come out on the negotiation for the suspension of the constitution Article 59 (f)."
Suu Kyi has been negotiating with commander-in-chief Gen. Min Aung Hlaing on having the clause suspended, which can be legally removed only through a two-thirds vote in Parliament. The military holds 25 percent of the nominated seats in parliament, which means the NLD cannot scrap the clause on its own.
"I think everything will be fine," Kyaw Htwe, a member of Central Committee of the NLD, told The Associated Press. "The negotiations will be positive for our leader Aung San Suu Kyi to become president," said Kyaw Htwe, who is also a member of parliament. But Yan Myo Thein, a political analyst, advised caution.
"It is still too early to confirm that Suu Kyi will be among the presidential candidate," he said.
Meanwhile, Myanmar's parliament will begin its election of the new president on March 17, cutting very close to an April 1 deadline, suggesting talks between Aung San Suu Kyi's victorious party and the military are likely to take longer than planned.
But a top military lawmaker on Monday denied that 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. ?AP, REUTERS









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