Nay Pyi Taw —President U Thein Sein addressed the first regular session of Pyidaungsu Hluttaw today.

The following is the translation of his speech.

Mr Speaker and representatives,

May I extend my warmest greetings to Mr Speaker and representatives and wish you in physical and spiritual wellbeing.

After being elected the President, I am under a responsibility to present the policies of the new Union government as I shall be responsible to Pyidaungsu Hluttaw and the Union government.

First and foremost, I would like to say that all the representatives including me are elected hluttaw members. So we are all duty-bound to honour and safeguard the constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar approved by the vast majority of the people.

So, I would like to call on you to cherish and protect at risk to life the constitution and the democratic nation to be built in line with the constitution.

As you know, national brethren remained united in the struggles to liberate the nation from the rule of the colonialists and regained independence. But, in the post-independence period, national races involved in armed conflicts among them for about five decades due to dogmatism, sectarian strife and racism instead of rebuilding the nation. In consequence, the people were going through the hell of untold miseries.

The Tatmadaw with a strong sense of duty and loyalty saved the country several times whenever the country was close to collapse and loss of independence and sovereignty. Also in 1988, the Tatmadaw government saved the country from deteriorating conditions in various sectors and reconstructed the country.

Now, it has laid sound foundations to build a peaceful, modern and developed nation.

Now, the people have elected us and given mandate to continue building a stable, peaceful and developed nation, making good use of the foundations. In order to accomplish the demanding duties, our new government will lay down new policies and programmes according to the objective conditions of the nation.

According to the historic events, Our Three Main National Causes: Non-disintegration of the Union, Non-disintegration of national solidarity, and Perpetuation of sovereignty is the national duty not only present generations but also our posterity have to safeguard. So, our government will uphold this national duty.

Our country needs three types of might to accomplish these national causes. They are:

(1) political might

(2) economic might

(3) military might

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