Myanmar And Gaza Issues Take Centre Stage During ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meetings
KUALA LUMPUR, May 24 (Bernama) -- Southeast Asian foreign ministers, converging at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre for the 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings, focused on efforts to find a peaceful and inclusive resolution to Myanmar's crisis during today's meetings.
Speaking to the media, Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan said the ASEAN foreign ministers have agreed to continue engaging with all stakeholders in Myanmar to find a viable long-term solution to the ongoing crisis in the country.
'As the Chair of ASEAN, we plan to visit and talk to (the government of) Myanmar because we have already met with people and different stakeholders,' he said after attending the Informal Consultation on the Implementation of the Five-Point Consensus participated by the previous, current and incoming ASEAN chairs, namely Laos, Malaysia and the Philippines, respectively.
The informal consultation was followed by the Extended Informal Consultation on the Implementation of the Five-Point Consensus which were also attended by foreign ministers from other ASEAN member states.
The February 2021 military coup that deposed democratically elected National League for Democracy (NLD) leader Aung San Suu Kyi further worsened the situation, prompting the regional grouping to exclude Myanmar government leaders from its summits and ministerial meetings.
Nevertheless, Myanmar's senior officials have continued to attend preparatory meetings.
Myanmar's delegation to the 46th ASEAN Summit and Related Meetings in Malaysia's capital was led by its Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Aung Kyaw Moe.
ASEAN adopted the Five-Point Consensus in 2021 to address the crisis in Myanmar following the coup, with the consensus calling for an immediate cessation of violence, inclusive dialogue among all parties, the appointment of a special envoy, humanitarian assistance and a visit by the envoy to Myanmar.
In a related development, ASEAN foreign ministers lauded Malaysia's proactive role in addressing the Myanmar crisis and reviving efforts to implement the Five-Point Consensus.
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