[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 13]
[Senate]
[Page 18213]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                 BURMA

  Mr. McCONNELL. Mr. President, on several occasions this year I have 
come to the floor and noted that this year's Burmese election would 
represent a crucial test for the country's path to political reform. 
The lead-up to this November's election was marked by a number of 
discouraging developments: the disenfranchisement of the Rohingya 
population and the defeat of commonsense constitutional reform 
proposals back in the summer. Yet, despite these setbacks, I am pleased 
to note that last week's election in Burma seems to have been a 
success.
  I would like to take this opportunity to congratulate my friend Daw 
Aung San Suu Kyi and her National League for Democracy party for their 
overwhelming victory. It was a truly remarkable achievement. At the 
same time, I would also like to commend Burmese President Thein Sein 
for his gracious remarks following the NLD victory and for his 
commitment to abide by the results of the election. The same should be 
said of Burma's commander in chief. He also appears to have accepted 
the results of the election and has pledged to support the NLD during 
the transition.
  In many ways, the key test for a young democracy is not the first 
election but the first election in which there is a transfer of power 
from the ruling power to the opposition. The transfer of authority in 
Burma will therefore be pivotal. Accordingly, I would urge both the 
President and the commander in chief to continue on the positive course 
they have charted since the election and to meet with Daw Suu in the 
coming days to map out an appropriate transition plan.
  The NLD now has a mandate to govern and has sufficient strength in 
Parliament to choose a President and one of the two Vice Presidents, 
although Daw Suu herself is prohibited from these positions. The 
prohibition itself reflects one of the many challenges that lie ahead. 
Others include addressing the problem of the military's quota of seats 
in the Parliament, promoting reconciliation among ethnic groups, and 
healing the divide among those of differing religious faiths.
  For now, it is worth acknowledging the good news last week in Burma. 
The road to bring the bilateral relationship to where it stands today 
has been a long one indeed. The transition of power has the potential 
to be a watershed in Burma history. It provides an opportunity to 
reinvigorate the reform effort in that country.

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