Myanmar on Sunday formed a caretaker government with military leader Min Aung Hlaing as prime minister, according to an order by the State Administration Council – a governing body established after the military takeover in February. 

Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar's commander-in-chief of defense services and chair of the State Administration Council, also announced on Sunday that new general elections will be held in the second half of 2023. 

Myanmar's military took over state power and declared a one-year state of emergency on February 1, following the detention of State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President U Win Myint and other senior officials.  

The military claimed fraud in last year's general elections won by the Suu Kyi-led National League for Democracy. The Union Election Commission in July canceled the results of the elections. 

Meanwhile, Suu Kyi has been hit with multiple criminal charges such as corruption, illegal importation and possession of walkie-talkie radios and violating coronavirus protocols under a disaster management law. Her legal team rejects all of the charges. 

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In a televised message to the public, Min Aung Hlaing explained that the new elections will take place after two six-month extensions of the state of emergency and another six-month preparation period. 

"The constitution states the limitation for the duration of the state of emergency. According to subsection (b) of Section 421, if one cannot accomplish the duties within one year of the emergency period, it permits only two extensions of the prescribed duration for a term of six months for each extension. In the meantime, we have to do the things that should be done. Then, we will take six months by August 2023 to prepare for the election according to the law," Min Aung Hlaing said. 

Min Aung Hlaing also pledged to work with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). "Myanmar is ready to work on ASEAN cooperation within the ASEAN framework including the dialogue with the ASEAN special envoy in Myanmar," he said. 

ASEAN foreign ministers are to meet on Monday, when diplomats say they aim to finalize a special envoy tasked with ending violence and promoting dialogue between the military and its opponents. 

Min Aung Hlaing repeated a pledge to restore democracy. "I guarantee the establishment of a union based on democracy and federalism," he said. 

Since the military takeover, the country has seen deadly protests and a resurgence of armed conflicts in the borderlands, but Min Aung Hlaing suggested that the situation is under control. 

"At present, the whole country is stable except for some terrorist attacks," he said. 

(With input from agencies) 

(Cover: Myanmar's military leader Min Aung Hlaing speaks during the ninth Moscow Conference on International Security in Moscow, Russia, June 23, 2021. /Getty)