The deputy chairman of Russia’s State Duma, the lower house of Russia’s parliament, pledged his support on Tuesday for Myanmar’s military regime to hold a free and fair election during his meeting with junta boss Min Aung Hlaing in Taunggyi, the Shan State capital.
Deputy Chairman Sholban Kara-Ool met the junta-appointed Union Election Commission (UEC) head U Thein Soe in Naypyitaw before his meeting with the regime chief in Taunggyi, and discussed matters related to cooperation and the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the election bodies of Russia and Myanmar.
Sholban Kara-Ool elaborated on what he had discussed with U Thein Soe when he met Min Aung Hlaing on Tuesday.
The Russian lawmaker has also met deputy junta chief Soe Win, former foreign minister U Wunna Maung Lwin, who now sits on the regime’s advisory body, and international cooperation minister Ko Ko Hlaing.
He also visited the chair of the military’s proxy Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) Khin Yi at the USDP’s headquarters in Naypyitaw. The two men discussed interaction and cooperation between the USDP and the United Russia Party.
The regime has often said that it will hold a general election and hand power back to the winning party, but is yet to announce the date of the proposed poll. Min Aung Hlaing recently reaffirmed that the election will be held by any means, but he did not mention when.
Despite that, Myanmar’s neighbor India has been assisting the UEC since last year. Representatives from China have also met U Thein Soe twice and inquired about the possibility of an election.
Now Russia, Myanmar’s major arms supplier, has joined India and China in offering help to the junta to stage the election.
Some foreign governments including the United States and some members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have rejected the junta’s proposed poll, saying it will be neither free nor fair.
In April, Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government urged democracies in Asia including Taiwan and Japan to reject the regime’s planned election.
