The New Nation - Internet Edition

AFP, Naypyidaw

Myanmar's junta chief Than Shwe said Thursday that civilians would take the reins of government after elections in 2010, once a constitution is approved giving broad powers to the military. But he did not say when the public would be allowed to see the final version of the proposed constitution, nor did he announce an exact date for a planned referendum to approve it.

"As the new constitution has already been drafted, it will be put to a national referendum in forthcoming May, and subsequently the multiparty general elections will follow in 2010 in line with the provisions of the constitution," he said to 13,000 soldiers at a military parade in the new capital Naypyidaw. The 74-year-old general said his military government did not "crave for power," insisting on the junta's "ultimate aim to hand over the state power to the people." Foreign journalists were denied visas to report on the event, which came six months after a deadly crackdown on pro-democracy protests led by Buddhist monks.