Thein Sein rejects Suu Kyi's constitutional reform demands
Myanmar's president Thein Sein has rejected a demand from opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to use his influence to open up a pathway for her to take the country's top job.
In an exclusive interview with the ABC, the president acknowledged Ms Suu Kyi's claim on his country's highest office, but says the parliament is to decide if the constitution should be changed and it is not his place to interfere.
"The constitution was written by the approval of the people," he said.
"So if the parliament authorises it and the people agrees for her to become the president, I don't have a say."
Ms Suu Kyi made the high-profile demand during the World Economic Forum East Asia, a gathering of global business and government leaders in the Myanmar capital, Naypyidaw.
The forum has been a launching pad to promote Myanmar's impoverished economy, but it also proved to be an opportunity for the opposition leader to voice her demands.
"For me to be eligible for the post of the presidency, the constitution will have to be amended," she said.
Ms Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy dominated elections in Myanmar a year ago, but the constitution currently prevents the Ms Suu Kyi from running for the presidency because it bars anyone whose children are overseas citizens from holding the office.
Many Burmese believe the provision was specifically designed to block her from running for the position, as her two sons are British.
Changing the constitution requires a 75 per cent majority in the Myanmar parliament, where one-quarter of the seats are reserved for the military.
Thein Sein, a one-time general, is adamant he is not in a position to lobby for constitutional reform in order to pave the way for Ms Suu Kyi.
"There are three main pillars in our country," he said.
"That is the executive branch, the legislative branch and the judicial branch.
"So I do not have authority over the parliament."
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