EU urges all sides to accept Myanmar vote
Aung San Suu Kyi - Photo © European Union 2013 - EP
(BRUSSELS) - The European Union on Monday urged all sides to accept the results of Myanmar's election, in which Aung San Suu Kyi's party hopes for major gains to carry it to power after decades of military dominance.
EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said the vote was a "historic milestone on the country's road to democracy" and said it was contested in an "overall calm, peaceful and organised way".
"The impressive turnout on the election day bears testimony to the commitment of Myanmar's voters to the continued democratisation of the country," Mogherini said in a statement.
"In the post-elections period, it will be critical for all sides to accept the results in a spirit of national unity and reconciliation."
EU election observers will give their preliminary findings on the vote on Tuesday, she added.
Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy has said the opposition was on track to win more than 70 percent of seats around the country.
President Thein Sein and the still-powerful army chief have both vowed to respect the outcome of the election -- even if the main military-backed USDP party loses its choke-hold on power.
A win for the NLD would a dramatic leap forward for the Southeast Asian nation, which suffered for decades under the iron grip of a junta that kept Suu Kyi under house arrest for years.