UN secretary general Ban Ki-moon has reacted cautiously to Burma's announcement today that nationwide elections will be held on November 7th, urging the ruling generals to ensure the vote is "free and fair".
"The Secretary-General has taken note of the announcement by the Union Election Commission of Myanmar," UN spokesman Martin Nesirky told reporters in New York.
In a cautiously worded statement, he added Mr Ban "reiterates his call on the Myanmar authorities to honor their publicly stated commitments to hold inclusive, free and fair elections in order to advance the prospects of peace, democracy and development for Myanmar."
Burma state media announced today the election would take place on November 7th.
Mr Nesirky did not mention detained Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, whose opposition National League for Democracy (NLD) party refused to register for the election in protest at election laws it says are unjust.
However, he said Mr Ban urged the Burma "to release all remaining political prisoners without delay so that they can freely participate in the political life of their country".
The election will take place about a week before Ms Suu Kyi is expected to be freed from house arrest on November 13th. The NLD won by a landslide in the last elections in 1990, but the military ignored the results.
Forty parties have registered to take part in elections to create what is to become the first civilian government in almost half a century in the reclusive, army-ruled country of 48 million people. But several big parties have said the election timing undermined their ability to raise funds.
The United States, Britain and other Western nations have joined human rights groups in criticising Burma's junta for preventing Ms Suu Kyi and other political opponents from participating in the election.
Reuters