Burma picks ex-general as president

Myanmar’s parliament on Friday named Prime Minister Thein Sein as the country’s first civilian president in half a century.

The military's delegates in parliament and their civilian allies hold an 80 percent majority in the new legislature, which handpicked the new president from a pool of three vice presidents named yesterday.

Director of Burma Campaign UK, Mark Farmaner told Vatican Radio this is exactly what has been expected. “This is a former general who is very close to Thang Shwe and was Prime Minister before the election. He is very much a ‘yes’ man, Thang Shwe will see him as a totally reliable president who will follow any order he is given.”

Listen to Mark Farmaner’s interview with John Kelly: