Yangon (AsiaNews/Agencies) - The Myanmar government has invited election observers from the United States, the European Union and the United Nations to monitor 48 by-elections on 1 April. They will join about two dozen poll observers from Burma's neighbours belonging to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Unlike the November 2010, the National League for Democracy (NLD) will participate this time and its leader, Nobel Prize Peace laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, is expected to win a seat in parliament.
"It will be up to the countries whether they send people from overseas or inside Burma," said e Myanmar official, who did not want to be named. He also did not specify how many observers would be allowed to monitor the polls.
China and North Korea are among those who have been approached to send observers. The total number of foreign observers who have been invited is now nearly 60, an ASEAN official said.
The 1 April by-elections are a key test for the country's democratisation. In the past two years, it has seen its first general elections in 20 years, the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and many political prisoners as well as its first, quasi-civilian cabinet, albeit one still backed by the military.
As a result, Western sanctions have been partially lifted, and Myanmar is set to chair ASEAN in 2014.
The US embassy in Yangon welcomed the move to allow international scrutiny of the polls.
"This is encouraging to see that they have taken this step. Clearly we feel the elections are important for this country's reform process," US Embassy spokesman Mike Quinlan said.
However, an EU official in Bangkok said that at least six months' preparations are usually needed for an observation mission, whereas the upcoming by-elections will take place in ten days time.
