Burma’s top generals have been holding a quarterly military meeting in Naypyidaw and have sparked speculation among Burmese military analysts of a possible major reshuffle in the regime.

“We heard this round of the quarterly meeting will probably have significant changes,” Htay Aung, a Burmese military researcher for the Network for Democracy and Development based in exile told The Irrawaddy o­n Tuesday.

The meetings, which began o­n June 12, include about 80 high-raking military leaders including members of the State Peace and Development Council, regional commanders, top military brass from the War Office and cabinet members.

Aung Kyaw Zaw, a Burmese military analyst based o­n the China-Burma border, said he expects that among the 13 regional military commanders some four or five will be replaced with new successors. Regional commanders are in a “second tier” following SPDC members.

“Some of them will go to the cabinet and some to the defense ministry,” he said.

Analysts also speculated the junta might appoint a new prime minister to fill the absence of ailing premier Gen Soe Win who reportedly suffers from leukemia and is now in Singapore for medical treatment. Last month, state-run newspaper The New Light of Myanmar for the first time described the regime’s secretary 1 Lt-Gen Thein Sein who is in charge of the government-sponsored National Convention as “acting premier.”

There has been no official announcement of the transfer of positions so far.

“I suppose Thein Sein is likely to be prime minister,” Htay Aung speculated.

Usually quarterly meetings last for weeks and often produce major reshuffles in the cabinet and military hierarchy. After the last quarterly meeting in Naypyidaw which took place in September last year, the junta announced changes in the structure of the administrative bodies at the local level.