Myanmar's first vice president resigns

Nay Pyi Taw, July 4 (Xinhua-ANI): U Tin Aung Myint Oo, Myanmar's military-backed first vice president, has resigned for health reason, according to a message of President U Thein Sein sent to the 4th session of the two-house parliament which opened in the capital Nay Pyi Taw on Wednesday.

Read by speaker of parliament U Khin Aung Myint, the message said that the new first vice president is to be elected in seven days.

U Tin Aung Myint Oo, 61, submitted his resignation to President U Thein Sein in early May after receiving medical treatment in Singapore, informed sources said.

U Tin Aung Myint Oo assumed office for a five-year term as the new civilian government was sworn in on March 30, 2011 after 2010 multi-party general election.

He was nominated by the non-elected military parliamentarians who take over 25 percent of parliament seats.

He last appeared before the public on April 16 when he attended water festival activities in Yangon.

U Tin Aung Myint Oo was northeast commander in 1990 and became first secretary of the former military junta State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) in 2007.

In 2009, Tin Aung Myint Oo was appointed military advisor to Senior General Than Shwe, then SPDC chairman.

Along with other military leaders, he retired as lieutenant- general and ran for the 2010 general election as a candidate of the Union Solidarity and Development Party (USDP) in which he was elected a member of the house of representatives.

In February 2011, he and Dr. Sai Mauk Kham were elected first and second vice president respectively by the parliamentarians. (Xinhua-ANI)