Military representatives in parliament have declined an invitation by opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi to have an informal meeting in Naypyidaw on Thursday.

Myo Aung, parliamentary lower house member of Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy party, said the military MPs responded to her invitation in a letter saying they could not attend the meeting as the invitation came on very short notice and they had other appointments in place.

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Suu Kyi on Wednesday invited 70 military MPs to an informal dinner a day ahead of scheduled sexpartite talks which will include herself, Commander-in-Chief Snr-Gen Min Aung Hlaing, President Thein Sein and others, when constitutional reform will be discussed.

The opposition leader earlier this week enjoyed a similar informal meeting with MPs from ethnic-based parties.

Earlier on Thursday, ethnic-based political parties appointed Rakhine National Party leader Aye Maung as their representative at the sexpartite talks on constitutional reform scheduled for Friday.

There is said to be cautious optimism ahead of the talks. Khin Maung Swe, the Federal Democratic Alliance, told DVB on Wednesday: “There are different views: Aung San Suu Kyi and Shwe Mann on one side, and the government and army on the other. We need to wait and see how successful they will be.”