ASEAN Meeting In Phnom Penh Sees Extensive Discussions On Myanmar

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 3 (Bernama) -- The 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (55th AMM) and Related Meetings in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, on Wednesday witnessed extensive discussions on Myanmar, said Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah. Saifuddin said during the meeting Malaysia had proposed that the dialogue between ASEAN and all stakeholders in Myanmar expedited and made more inclusive, to include among others the National Unity Government (NUG) and the National Unity Consultative Council (NUCC). “Maybe there are certain items and processes that the stakeholders want to bring to the negotiation table which ASEAN needs to facilitate, for example their plans to transition to democracy and the constitution that they want,” he said to reporters on the sidelines of the 55th AMM and Related Meetings. Saifuddin also conveyed two main points decided by the Malaysian Cabinet recently, first, there will be no more political representatives from Myanmar at all ASEAN ministerial meetings, and second, strengthening the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) through a framework with a clear endgame. He said the endgame is a Myanmar that is democratic, inclusive, where justice prevails and its people live in peace and harmony, and the fundamental liberties guaranteed by the constitution The recording of his statement was made available to media by the Malaysian Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra). Saifuddin said all the stakeholders that he had met thus far were prepared to sit down and work on reconciliation and peace. “I think that is the most important motivation for everyone who's involved and that is a very huge step forward,” he said. On election in Myanmar, he stressed that it has to be fair and free, discussed and accepted by all stakeholders, saying that it is definitely not the one proposed by the Junta. Malaysia also stressed that between now and the next ASEAN Summit in November, there must be some progress because if there is no progress then the leaders will have to ask the hard questions when they meet then. Since the coup on Feb 1, 2021, at least 2114 people have been killed in Myanmar by the self-styled State Administration Council (SAC), led by General Min Aung Hlaing, in its campaign to suppress the widespread opposition to military rule. -- BERNAMA