UN Security Council to discuss situation in Myanmar on urgent basis

The United Kingdom, which took over the presidency of the Security Council said it plans to discuss on an urgent basis the situation in Myanmar, where the army has seized power by staging a coup, overthrowing the civilian government.

The Security Council will discuss the situation in Myanmar on Tuesday.

"I informed council members that we'll bring forward our plans for a Security Council meeting on Myanmar as a matter of urgency," Britain's UN ambassador Barbara Woodward said.

Earlier today, the Myanmar military declared a state of emergency in the country for one year, following the coup, where Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint and other senior officials have been detained by the military.

The state power has been handed over to Commander-in-Chief of Defense Services Min Aung Hlaing, while Myanmar's first Vice-President Myint Swe will serve as the acting president of the country.

The newly-elected lower house of the parliament was due to convene on Monday, but the military called for a postponement.

The Myanmar military said the new election in the country will be held after the end of a one-year emergency, which was imposed earlier in the day following the coup by the army leadership.

Following the coup, the global leaders gave a clarion call for the immediate release of the detainees and also urged the military to respect the national elections.

Condemning the coup in Myanmar, the European Council on Monday called on the military to release people who have been detained and respect the election results.

"I strongly condemn the coup in Myanmar and call on the military to release all who have been unlawfully detained in raids across the country," said Charles Michel, president of the European Council, in a tweet.

Similarly, Josep Borrell, EU's foreign policy chief, said that the election results should be respected.

"I strongly condemn the coup carried out by the Myanmar military and call for the immediate release of those detained. Election results and constitution must be respected. Myanmar's people want democracy. The EU stands with them," said Borrell.

( With inputs from ANI )