Myanmar's parliament is meeting for the first time since Aung San Suu Kyi's National League for Democracy (NLD) won an election landslide last week.

The session does not include new MPs - members who lost their seats remain in office until the end of January.

Ms Suu Kyi made no comment as she was mobbed by journalists at parliament.

She had earlier criticised the long handover, calling the constitution "very silly", but correspondents say she appears willing to bide her time.

If power is transferred, it will end more than 50 years of military-backed government in Myanmar, also known as Burma.

While they remain in parliament, the existing MPs can continue to pass laws - there are fears they could even set the budget a new opposition-led government will inherit next year.

Having won nearly 80% of contested seats, Ms Suu Kyi is expected to meet both the president and the commander in chief of the army to discuss arrangements for a transition.

Outgoing Speaker Shwe Mann, who lost his seat for the ruling USDP, has urged the party's lawmakers to do their "best for the people" in the remaining debates.

"Although we won't be coming back, we need to do our best to perform the responsibilities of lawmakers, truthfully and faithfully," he told the new session, Reuters reports.

Only once the "lame duck" session ends will the new NLD-dominated parliament gather. It will immediately choose a new Speaker, quite possibly Ms Suu Kyi, before selecting two vice-presidents and a president.

(BBC)