The National Unity Party (NUP), one of the 10 main political parties in Myanmar, on Monday welcomed the government’s announcements on the time tables of a nationwide referendum on a new constitution and a multi-party democracy general election.

U Khin Maung Kyi, Joint General-Secretary of the NUP, told the press on Monday that the party had participated in the national convention to work out the detailed basic principles for drafting the new constitution.

He said his party would support the democratic process and help have the new constitution adopted through the forthcoming referendum.

Maung Kyi also urged the people and all forces in the country to make the process a success.

The ruling State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) made two announcements last Saturday, setting May this year as the time to hold a national referendum on the new constitution draft and the year 2010 for a multi-party democracy general election to “transform the administration of Tatmadaw (military) into democratic administration of the people”.

The new constitution is being drafted by a government-formed 54-member State Constitution Drafting Commission since Dec. 3 last year, three months after the conclusion of years-long national convention to work out detailed basic principles for the new constitution.

According to the government’s roadmap announced in August 2003,the new constitution draft is to be endorsed through a national referendum, then a general election will follow to produce parliament representatives and form a new democratic government.

The NUP, previously the Burma Socialist Program Party, won 3 million of votes and 12 parliamentary seats in the 1990 general election. The NUP has a total of over 300 party branches and more than 2 million members, according to the party sources.