Myanmar top leader calls for safeguarding national policy

Myanmar top leader Senior-General Than Shwe on Sunday called on all national races in his country to safeguard the national policy and to keep the spirit of national consolidation ever alive and dynamic among the national people.

Myanmar's national policy is designated as non-disintegration of the union, non-disintegration of national solidarity and perpetuation of sovereignty.

In his message on the occasion of the 59th anniversary Union Day which falls on Sunday, Than Shwe, chairman of the State Peace and Development Council, also urged all national people to defend and safeguard the union for its perpetual existence and prevent through national solidarity the danger of internal and external destructive elements undermining peace and stability of the state and national development.

"At present, some powers wishing to dominate and manipulate Myanmar are perpetrating to cause racial dissension for the ruining of national solidarity and the recurrence of armed conflicts and obstruction national development," he warned.

Pointing out that with these powers' imposition of economic sanctions on Myanmar and attempt to incite political instigations to hinder the momentum of national development, he called for vigilance against the steps and schemes of them with national awareness.

Thanks to the national policy, he said, the entire nation including border areas are witnessing peace and stability and sound foundations of cooperation and unity and political economic and social development as the government was able to end armed conflicts in the whole Union.

He noted that in accordance with the seven-point roadmap to democracy laid down, the process of reconvening the National Convention to lay down basic detailed principles for drawing up a new constitution is underway.

He described the process as the first and most important step of the roadmap being participated by delegates of all walks of life in which representatives of the national races are the majority.

The roadmap was outlined as resuming the national convention to draw up a new constitution, undergoing a national referendum on draft of the constitution, holding a general election to produce parliament representatives and forming a new democratic government.

He called on all national races to make concerted efforts for the successful implementation of the Road Map program for the emergence of the constitution that ensure continued flourishing of liberty, justice, equality and the rule of law in the country.

Meanwhile, a union-flag-relay ceremony was held at the People's Square here Sunday morning to mark the occasion, before which Myanmar had held a series of commemorating activities of the union day including exhibitions on its historical event.

Feb. 12 was designated as Myanmar's Union Day. On the very day in 1947, ethnic leaders met at the Panlong Conference in northeastern Shan state, sponsored under the leadership of late Independence Hero General Aung San, and signed the Panlong Agreement to strive in unity for the country's independence from the then British colonialist rule. Myanmar won its independence on Jan. 4, 1948.

Source: Xinhua