Aung San Suu Kyi tries to reach out to military

The campaigner’s National League for Democracy Party is on course for a sweeping win in the elections, winning more than 90% of the vote in the seats declared so far.

A spokesman for the USDP said on Wednesday that Myanmar’s president and the military would respect the results of Sunday’s vote, but added he would meet Suu Kyi only after those are announced by the election commission.

Suu Kyi issued an invitation on Wednesday for a meeting with the commander, along with President Thein Sein and House Speaker Shwe Mann.

“Implementing the people’s desires calmly after Election Day is very important for the country’s dignity, and for our people’s peace of mind”, Suu Kyi said in her letters to the three men. “The reforms that President U Thein Sein has bravely started have brought the country a brighter future, and the government of the United States will continue to cooperate with the government of Myanmar”, U Ye Htut wrote in a post on Facebook.

In a positive step, the army chief, Sein and the head of parliament have all accepted an invitation by Suu Kyi for reconciliation talks.

Results so far gave Suu Kyi’s party 134 of 149 seats declared out of the 330 seats not allocated to the military in the lower house.

Later on Wednesday the opposition leader called for “national reconciliation” talks with Myanmar’s president and the nation’s powerful army chief, saying citizens had “expressed their will in the election”.

The message helps remove lingering concerns that the military, which has a large influence over the ruling party, may deny the NLD power, as it did after elections in 1990.

Analysts say hard months lie ahead, with the army still in charge of key levers of power, protected by a constitution gifting it 25 percent of all parliamentary seats as well as key security posts.

Suu Kyi was also criticized by a few for not speaking up for the Muslims as her party did not field any Muslim candidate in the elections, like other parties.

The Associated Press, citing an NLD statement, reported that President Thein Sein congratulated Suu Kyi and promised a peaceful transfer of power. “I make all the decisions, because I am the leader of the winning party”.

Under the constitution drawn up by Myanmar’s former junta, Ms Suu Kyi is barred by the constitution from taking the presidency because her children are foreign nationals, a clause few doubt was inserted specifically to rule her out.

The tally from Sunday’s vote was still being counted and final results were not expected for several days.