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YANGON (Myanmar): Aung San Suu Kyi's opposition party refused to take its new seats in parliament Monday because of a dispute over one word in the lawmakers' oath, reported The Associated Press.

However, party officials played down the problem and said they expected it to be overcome by early May,

According to the report, the National League for Democracy party objects to phrasing in the oath that says they must "safeguard the constitution," a document they have vowed to amend because it gives inordinate power to the military and was drafted during an era of army rule. The lawmakers want the word "safeguard" replaced with "respect."

Analysts say President Thein Sein needs the opposition in parliament to show the world that his administration is serious about change in the Southeast Asian country, which was ruled by the military for nearly half a century.

Since last year, his government has overseen a wave of widely praised political reforms, including the April 1 by-elections that earned Nobel Peace laureate Suu Kyi a parliamentary seat after years of repression and house arrest.

Later Monday, the European Union is expected to announce the suspension of most sanctions against Myanmar for a year while it assesses the country's progress toward democracy. The United States and other countries also have pulled back on some sanctions.

Suu Kyi and 42 other elected lawmakers from her party were absent as the latest assembly session got under way in the capital, Naypyitaw, on Monday. The party had said it would not join until the oath issue was resolved.

Opposition spokesman Nyan Win told The Associated Press that he believed the dispute would be solved within 10 days, and other party officials have said there is support within Thein Sein's government to change the oath.

The party was "not disappointed" with its current inability to sit in the assembly, Nyan Win said. "We are cooperating with the government, so the problem will be overcome."

The report said the oath is in an appendix to the military-backed constitution, and it is unclear whether it can be changed without the approval of 75 percent of parliament. The subject was not on the agenda in Naypyitaw on Monday.

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Suu Kyi Party Refuses Myanmar Seats Over Oath Row