YANGON, (Reuters) – U.S. President Barack Obama called Myanmar President Thein Sein yesterday to congratulate him on successfully staging a historic general election in which democracy champion Aung San Suu Kyi trounced the ruling camp.
Obama also called Suu Kyi and her opposition National League for Democracy (NLD), which has won about 80 percent of the seats declared so far in the lower house, to commend them for their success, which puts her on course to form the new cabinet. NLD is also well ahead in the upper house and regional assemblies.
If the full results from Sunday’s election confirm the trend, Suu Kyi’s triumph will sweep out an old guard of former generals that has run Myanmar, also known as Burma, since Thein Sein ushered in sweeping democratic and economic reforms four years ago.
Obama and Thein Sein discussed the importance for all parties to respect the election results and work to form an inclusive government, the White House said in a statement.
At a news briefing later, White House deputy national security adviser Ben Rhodes noted broad participation by Burma’s people and a commitment by its rulers to abide by the results.
“This is in many ways it a momentous opportunity for the people of Burma,” Rhodes told reporters. “We had been very focused on this election. It is a critical milestone in evaluating Burma’s democratic transition.”
Rhodes said Obama would meet with the Burmese president, along with other Asian leaders, during his Asia trip this month.
Thein Sein’s presidential spokesman and Information Minister Ye Htut said on his Facebook page of Obama: “He said America would continue cooperating with the Myanmar government.”
Obama has visited Myanmar twice over the past three years, hoping to make its transition to democracy a foreign policy legacy of his presidency.
