Myanmar’s long-promised general elections will take place in December or January next year at the earliest, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing said at a state-level meeting in Minsk, the latest effort by the military government to retain power and earn legitimacy.
Min Aung Hlaing, held talks with Belarusian officials on Friday after meeting Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow earlier this week. He invited observers from Belarus to monitor the elections, which he said would be “free and fair” and in accordance with local laws, with 53 parties having completed the registration process to vie for seats.
The Southeast Asian country is struggling with a crippling economy and an ongoing civil war since the military seized power in a coup in 2021 that ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi. The US has said it sees no chance of fair elections under the junta and has imposed a slew of sanctions on Myanmar generals and their allies.
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Min Aung Hlaing told Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko at the meeting that he’s ready to cooperate with Belarus to overcome sanctions imposed by the West.
“Putting pressure through sanctions to ensure what they want to see will never be successful,” he said. “It will only escalate the conflict.”
Abandoned by the US and other Western countries, Myanmar generals are moving closer to allies including China and Russia. The junta enacted a new law last month enabling Chinese security companies to be stationed in Myanmar to protect Beijing’s interests in the country, including Belt and Road projects. It also signed 10 agreements with Russia, including the construction of a small-scale nuclear power plant in Myanmar, after Min Aung Hlaing’s talks with Putin in Moscow.
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