The Foreign Secretary, Philip Hammond, said:

I congratulate the people of Burma on the calm and orderly manner in which elections took place on 8 November. We hope this will prove a significant landmark in Burma’s transition to democracy, and helps fulfil a long-held aspiration by the people of Burma to choose freely who represents them in Parliament.

We welcome initial reports from international observers, including the EU, that despite some flaws the polling process was good. We will continue to watch the counting process closely.

When the results are clear, we hope all sides will approach the transition to a new government in a spirit of dialogue. The UK will continue to support the people of Burma in their aspiration for a democratic and accountable government.

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