Burma's detained opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi said today she "would not dream" of registering her party for this year's elections, but added the decision was not for her to make, according to her lawyer.
Ms Suu Kyi, who has been detained for 15 of the last 21 years, would refuse to sign her party up for the polls because of "unjust" election laws, but insisted the comment was not an order or an instruction to other members.
"Personally, I would not dream of registering the NLD under such an unjust and one-sidedly drawn-up state constitution," her lawyer and National League for Democracy (NLD) party member, Nyan Win, quoted Suu Kyi as saying after meeting the Nobel laureate.
Ms Suu Kyi is unable to run in the much-derided election because of her marriage to a foreigner, British citizenship of her children and her criminal record.
Critics say the military government is fearful of her huge popularity and international appeal and has sought to keep her under lock and key to minimise her influence.
The NLD party, which won the last polls in 1990 by a landslide but was never allowed to rule, has yet to make a decision on whether it will take part in this year's election, a date for which has yet to be announced.
There is disagreement among the NLD's 128 committee members on whether to take part in the elections.
Some say the constitution is a farce and are in favour of a boycott, which other members believe such a decision would make the country's biggest opposition party a spent political force.
"There are some who would like to go ahead but most are against it," Nyan Win said, adding that the party would make its decision on March 29th.
Burma's military, which has ruled the former British colony for almost five decades, recently annulled the result of the 1990 vote, stating in official media that it did not comply with new rules passed this month.
The laws also say parties that register for the elections must exclude members serving prison terms, a rule the United States said made a mockery of democracy. Parties that fail to register could be dissolved by the junta.
Many senior NLD members are among more than 2,000 prisoners of conscience in Burma, where the regime denies detaining anyone because of their political views.
Mr Nyan Win said the NLD had filed a lawsuit against the regime regarding the new laws, but it was rejected by the Supreme Court.
Separately, two new political parties registered with the newly formed election commission today, party sources said.
They were the 88 Generation Students of the Union of Myanmar (GSUM) and the Union of Myanmar National Political Force (UMNPF) parties.
Both are regarded as being close to the military, which will automatically be given 25 per cent of seats in parliament.
Analysts say the junta, which will retain full control of key ministries, will likely field proxy parties so it can dominate the lower house and restrict the powers of elected opponents.
Critics say the election, which is the final part of the junta's drawn out "road map" to democracy, will be a sham aimed at creating a facade of civilian rule with the military still calling the shots.
Reuters