Myanmar Regime Delays Talks With Election Winners

YANGON, Myanmar — The army council, which still governs this country despite a landslide victory by the opposition in the May 27 elections, effectively ruled out early talks with the victors Thursday.

A statement by a government spokesman appeared further to confound growing opposition calls for the release of its leaders and talks to find a peaceful end to army rule.

The spokesman said that the army, which has ruled Myanmar (formerly Burma) since crushing street protests nearly two years ago, insists that all 27 parties that won seats in the elections hold meetings among themselves to discuss drawing up a new constitution.

“Parliamentary representatives from all parties which won seats in the election should first of all meet and coordinate among themselves for the matter of drawing up a constitution,” he said. “Only after they have done so will the (army) meet and coordinate with them.”

Diplomats in Yangon (formerly Rangoon) said the army, shocked by the opposition’s huge parliamentary majority, is stalling over allowing the assembly to meet and form a new government.

Final results of the May voting were announced Sunday.