No U-turn in democratisation process: Myanmar defence chief

Myanmar's Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services, Senior-General Min Aung Hlaing, has promised not to make any U-turn on the country's path to the democratisation process, media reported Monday.

Meeting with members of the Myanmar Press Council (Interim) in Nay Pyi Taw, Min Aung Hlaing said the military would cooperate in accordance with law with any new government formed after the 2015 general elections.

He spoke in favour of holding a nationwide referendum to decide on amendment of the constitution, Xinhua reported.

He agreed to organise a workshop soon to promote relations between the military and the media.

Meanwhile, the lower house of Myanmar's parliament continued to debate on a draft referendum law if the country's constitution needed to be amended.

The nationwide referendum will be held in May next year and the result will be applied in the next parliament term produced from the upcoming general elections in 2015, which will be held under the existing 2008 constitution, according to the Speaker of the Myanmarese parliament's lower house, U Shwe Mann.

In a recent parliamentary debate over the constitution amendment, the non-elected military MPs, who account for 25 percent of the legislative body, opposed the widespread call for constitutional change including the change of two sensitive sections - Section 436 and Section 59 (f).

The next general elections in Myanmar are tentatively set to be held near the end of 2015.