Burma has invited the US and the European Union to send officials to observe its by-elections to be held on the first of April.
Opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi is running for one of the 48 seats, the first time in over 20 years she is taking part in an election.
An AFP news report, citing an unnamed Burmese official, said that representatives from the UN had also been invited.
''It will be like a joint team with Asean, the EU, the US and the UN," the official told AFP.
The US embassy in Rangoon welcomed the move in a statement.
"We are encouraged that the Burmese authorities have invited international representatives as observers," the statement said, "and it is notable that the Burmese government will also allow some journalists from these countries to observe the process, demonstrating increased openness to foreign media."
