President Thein Sein at the 2010 World Economic Forum in Geneva. FLICKR/THAIGOV
Myanmar’s President Thein Sein has defended longstanding rules that keep opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi from being elected to the top post, saying they date back to the independence movement.
The president made the remarks in an interview with the BBC, which was released on Friday.
Speaking from the capital, Naypyidaw, the former general said that when Myanmar (then known as Burma) was striving for independence from Britain, its leaders, including Suu Kyi’s father, Aung San, believed in enshrining barriers that would protect the new state’s sovereignty from its larger, powerful neighbours, India and China. Suu Kyi’s party, the National League for Democracy, has always challenged this view, the BBC reported.
“Our country is situated between two populous countries in India and China. So the leaders of our country have always had to safeguard our sovereignty and integrity to avoid being dominated,” President Thein Sein said. “These concerns were considered and drafted into our constitution.”
Suu Kyi late husband was British, as are their two sons.
Thein Sein compared her predicament to that of US foreign policy guru Henry Kissinger, who he said would have made a good president if not for rules preventing naturalized citizens from seeking the office (Kissinger was born in Germany).
However, the president signaled that the rules could change if pushed forward by parliament and approved under a nationwide referendum.
In other news that wasn’t very shocking, Thein Sein told the BBC that the military, whose officers are reserved a quarter of seats in parliament, will continue to play a role in political life.
