The president and the Tatmadaw commander-in-chief have congratulated Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on her party’s election victory and agreed to her request to hold talks following the crushing defeat of the military-backed Union Solidarity and Development Party.

Expressing his intention to cooperate with the opposition National League for Democracy in a transition process that will take several months, President U Thein Sein was cited in a letter penned yesterday by his spokesperson U Ye Htut as saying the government wanted a peaceful transfer, and would honour the people’s will and the election results.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi wrote three separate letters to the president, military Commander-in-Chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and Pyidaungsu Hluttaw Speaker Thura U Shwe Mann requesting talks by the end of next week on the basis of “national reconciliation”.

“For the sake of the nation’s dignity and the happiness of the public, it is crucial that their desire shown through the November 8 general elections be fulfilled in a stable, peaceful and correct way,” said her letter, sent on November 10.

As the latest slow tally of official results last night showed the NLD heading for an overwhelming majority in parliament, party activists and foreign observers expressed relief at the pace of political events which were raising hopes of a peaceful and historic transfer of power.

In a letter written to the opposition leader it had kept under house arrest for 15 years, the Tatmadaw expressed Sen Gen Min Aung Hlaing’s congratulations on the NLD’s victory and his intention to cooperate with the new government.

The military’s Myawady media group also said the letter congratulated all people, including soldiers and their families, who voted in a disciplined way. It also reported that Sen Gen Min Aung Hlaing yesterday met regional commanders and reiterated the Tatmadaw’s “main duties”, which he said included protecting the nation and its citizens, upholding the three national causes and the constitution, unifying the nation, and ensuring tranquility, eternal peace and development.

The commander-in-chief has repeatedly pledged to respect the election results, dismissing fears of a repeat of the 1990 elections when the military junta refused to recognise a similar NLD landslide and jailed the party’s leaders.

Parliamentary Speaker U Shwe Mann, who lost his own bid for a seat in the lower house, has agreed to meet the NLD leader next week, while the president and the commander-in-chief said they were willing to have talks only after the Union Election Commission finished releasing results.

The UEC says it hopes to finish as soon as possible and by last night it had declared results for just over 50 percent of all seats. It has said the whole process could take two weeks from election day, but announced yesterday planned to use helicopters to fly in votes from the most remote areas in Kachin State to speed up the process.

The NLD leader’s request for a meeting reflects the party’s concerns over the extended transition period and its need to secure guarantees of cooperation until the new parliament meets in February 2016 to elect a president, who then forms a government.

Under the military-crafted constitution, however, the president’s powers remain severely constricted. The Tatmadaw remains outside the control of the executive and appoints three key ministers – defence, home affairs and border affairs – while holding 25pc of parliamentary seats, enough to block changes to the constitution.

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi has to manage high public expectations, while preparing her government for office. Barred by the constitution from becoming president because her sons are foreign nationals, the 70-year-old leader has not revealed her choice of candidate but has made clear that she will be the one in control.

Reflecting concerns over stability, the party has issued statements telling its supporters to avoid extreme celebrations. It has removed two giant LED boards that had been used to display results in front of NLD headquarters in Bahan township for two days before crowds of cheering supporters.

“Be aware of violence and public disturbances,” the NLD said.

The NLD has not disclosed the agenda for the proposed high-level talks but senior official U Win Htein confirmed to The Myanmar Times that the talks would include stability during the transition period. He declined to give further details.

U Than Soe Naing, a political analyst, said Daw Aung San Suu Kyi had concerns over the post-election transition period and wanted to make sure that her party remained in close contact with those holding power. Her emphasis on “national reconciliation” is widely seen as an attempt to avoid a repeat of 1990.

Political commentator U Yan Myo Thein said it was highly significant that the government and military had accepted her invitation to talks.

“After a negotiated political pact is agreed to by parties to the talks, a national coalition government should be formed,” he said.

The NLD leader’s election campaign has made constitutional change one of the party’s top priorities. Some political analysts said this was risky for the NLD.

“First trust must be built between the leaders. Once trust has been affirmed, then constitutional amendments should be raised,” commentator U Than Soe Naing said.

The election manifesto of the NLD says the Tatmadaw should come under the control of the executive, but it sets no time frame.

“I hope that NLD would avoid bringing those agendas [to the talks],” U Than Soe Naing said.