Myanmar's president resigns 'to take rest from duties'

FILE PHOTO- Htin Kyaw, the National League for Democracy (NLD) nominated presidential candidate for the lower house of parliament, arrives at Parliament in Naypyitaw February 1, 2016. REUTERS/Soe Zeya Tun Tun/File Photo

Thomson Reuters

YANGON (Reuters) - Myanmar's civilian president, Htin Kyaw, has resigned with immediate effect "in order to take rest from the current duties and responsibilities", his office said in a statement posted on Facebook on Wednesday.

Htin Kyaw, whose post is largely ceremonial, has been a close ally of the country's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi. He was handpicked by the Nobel peace prize laureate to become president because a constitution drafted by the country's former junta bars her from the top office.

There has been speculation in the local media for some months that Htin Kyaw was in ill-health, but this was denied by officials.

The president's office said: "According to the Myanmar constitution article 73 (b), procedures will be undertaken to fill the president vacancy within seven working days."

(Reporting by Thu Thu Aung and Antoni Slodkowski; Writing by John Chalmers; Editing by Michael Perry)

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