Asean Secretary-General hails move to re-register NLD

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 26 (Bernama) -- Asean secretary-general Dr Surin Pitsuwan has described the move to re-register Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) as a political party, paving the way for the democracy icon to run in Myanmar's upcoming elections, as very encouraging.

"I think Asean can claim credit for the positive changes taking place there which would contribute significantly towards Myanmar's efforts in its national reconciliation process," he said.

This could pave the way for stability, peace and prosperity in the country, he told reporters after delivering a lecture at an event organised by the Asia-Europe Institute, Universiti Malaya, here, Friday.

Myanmar will chair the 10-member Asean regional bloc in 2014.

Suu Kyi was released from house arrest last November. (BERNAMA)


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

61st Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards

Image
By BEA CUPIN The novel is alive and well in the Philippines, just going by the record number of entries that vied for The Carlos Palanca Memorial Award Grand Prize for the Novel. An Ateneo faculty member won in the Filipino division, while a San Diego-based writer got the award in English, the Palanca awards organizers announced Thursday. The Palanca Memorial Awards are considered the nations most prestigious prizes for writing and are given annually in a broad range of categories. But the awards for the novel are given only every three years. From a pool of 57 manuscripts, 84 percent more than the number of novels submitted in 2008, emerged the two winners: Ateneo de Manila University faculty member Allan Alberto N. Derain won The Carlos Palanca Memorial Award Grand Prize for the Novel in Filipino for his Ang Banal na Aklat ng Kumag. San Diego-based writer and former University of the Philippines (Diliman) faculty member Maria Victoria Marivi Soliven Blanco won for her entry In the ...
Keep reading

Suu Kyi May Get Suitable Post

Image
In his first interview given to reporters, Burmas leader discusses the prospect of more reforms and bringing peace to his ethnic conflict-ridden nation. AFP Burmese President Thein Sein (C) sits near U.S. President Barack Obama (R) at an ASEAN meeting in Bali, Indonesia, Nov. 19, 2011. In a rare interview with reporters, Burmese President Thein Sein said that pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi may be given a special post if she contests and wins upcoming elections and that further release of political prisoners will depend on circumstances. He also said that his nominally civilian government, which came to power in March after decades of military rule, had made contact with nearly all armed ethnic rebel groups to forge peace but added that they had to adhere to certain conditions, including eventual surrender of arms. Thein Sein, whose nascent reforms have been mostly welcomed by the international community, said the democracy that Burma would embrace has to be a version most suitab...
Keep reading

Arroyo daughter said to be expecting twins

Image
GMA daughter Luli Arroyo, 40, is expecting twins from her three-year marriage with investment banker Luigi Bernas, according to an unconfirmed report from a Malacaang-friendly source. The former First Daughter received the good news while having a medical check-up in New York, according to the source, and that was apparently the reason why her brother, Rep. Mikey Arroyo , had to posthaste seek court permission to travel to the United States. But GMA spokesman Ma. Elena Bautista-Horn sounded genuinely dumbfounded when reached for comment Thursday afternoon. She did confirm that Luli was abroad. It was not clear what Luli was doing in the Big Apple, where her 50-year-old husband started his career in Chemical Bank before focusing on emerging markets in Bear Stearns and Bankers Trust in Hong Kong and London. Another source close to the family said the couple were seeking medical advice on how Luli can conceive, given her age. Still, another source who is familiar with the Arroyos claimed ...
Keep reading