Bangkok: ASEAN and Myanmar Foreign Ministers held an informal meeting, reiterating their commitment to advancing the five-point consensus. The ASEAN Chair indicated positive developments and announced plans for a visit to Myanmar. Foreign Minister Sihasak hopes that Lazaro will meet with Aung San Suu Kyi. Thailand is ready to host forums for dialogue with all parties and plans to use the ASEAN Summit later this year to review the situation and closely assess Myanmar's progress.
According to Thai News Agency, Philippine Foreign Minister Teresa Lazaro, in her capacity as ASEAN Chair, held a joint press conference with Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkaew following the informal meeting between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and Myanmar Foreign Minister Tin Maung Shwe, as well as expanded informal discussions on Myanmar. Prime Minister Teresa Lazaro expressed the Philippine government's sincere gratitude to Mr. Sihasak and Thailand for the warm welcome and excellent arrangements in hosting this important meeting on Myanmar. She also thanked all ASEAN Foreign Ministers for their attendance and active participation. Based on the Statement of the Chair of the 46th ASEAN Summit, which Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. stated, Myanmar remains an essential and inseparable part of ASEAN. Developments in Myanmar necessitate a review and reshaping of how ASEAN should interact with Myanmar to achieve greater appropriateness and effectiveness. At the same ti me, it is undeniable that ASEAN's approach to Myanmar is evolving in several aspects. Today's meeting clearly reflects our commitment to navigating these changes and supporting Myanmar in achieving a peaceful and lasting solution, guided by the Five-Point Consensus.
Prime Minister Teresa Lazaro stated that the Philippines and Thailand jointly organized an informal meeting between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and Myanmar Foreign Minister Tin Maung Swe. This meeting, attended by foreign ministers from ASEAN member states, marked the first face-to-face meeting between ASEAN and Myanmar foreign ministers since 2021. She noted that they received a comprehensive briefing from the Myanmar side, detailing the evolving situation within the country, including the government's efforts to implement the Five Consensus points, as well as other relevant issues such as addressing transnational crime, including online scams, human trafficking, and drug trafficking.
Ms. Teresa Lazaro further stated that during the meeting, ASEAN reaffirmed that the Five-Point Consensus remains ASEAN's primary framework for addressing the situation in Myanmar, as well as a fundamental principle for conducting relations and engagement with Myanmar. In-depth discussions were held on concrete practical approaches to various issues, such as ending violence, promoting constructive dialogue, and providing humanitarian assistance.
Regarding the issue of ending the violence, Ms. Teresa Lazaro stated that we have noted the Myanmar authorities' efforts to invite all parties into the dialogue process, including the measures taken to release some detainees and relocate Aung San Suu Kyi to a designated residence. However, ASEAN calls for more concrete actions to end the fighting, particularly the cessation of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure. I join the ASEAN Foreign Ministers in calling for positive developments, especially regarding the status of Aung San Suu Kyi, which is a crucial element in moving towards a constructive and inclusive national political dialogue process.
Regarding humanitarian efforts, Ms. Teresa Lazaro stated that she has consistently emphasized the importance of allowing humanitarian agencies to operate effectively in Myanmar and has acknowledged the Myanmar government's commitment to this.
Ms. Teresa Lazaro further stated that, as the Special Representative of the ASEAN Chair for Myanmar, she is ready to fully support Myanmar in finding a peaceful and lasting way out of the crisis, a process that Myanmar itself owns and drives. Looking ahead, she hopes that this informal meeting will further enhance engagement between ASEAN and Myanmar, based on the five-point consensus, and that this meeting will bring us closer to achieving a peaceful and sustainable solution to the Myanmar crisis.
Mr. Sihasak thanked the Philippine Foreign Minister for co-chairing the meeting. He stated that they had frank, open, and constructive discussions with the Foreign Minister of Myanmar, as well as among ASEAN Foreign Ministers themselves, regarding the next steps. Thailand supports the approach of 'gradual and conditional engagement.' The approach they are promoting is a strategy to achieve the Five-Point Consensus of ASEAN. All ASEAN member states reaffirmed their commitment to supporting the Five-Point Consensus, but the key issue is how to strategically make it a reality. He emphasized that this gradual re-engagement process is a necessary step for both sides. ASEAN is reaching out to interact, listen to what Myanmar wants to communicate, and keep track of the latest developments. At the same time, Myanmar needs to reach out to ASEAN by responding to the concerns of ASEAN and the international community, because what we all want is peace and stability in Myanmar.
Mr. Sihasak further stated that at this meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar briefed us on what the Myanmar government is currently doing, both in terms of the peace process and the political process, as well as other issues such as the crackdown on online scams along the border. He also explained the direction the Myanmar government intends to take to further the peace process within the country. However, the key point is that ASEAN clearly communicated our expectations of what we want to see happen in the next phase. We are aware and realistically understand that these things cannot be achieved overnight, but we believe that they can eventually be achieved. What we want to see is continuous, step-by-step progress; gradual and tangible progress. We have clearly outlined ASEAN's expectations for the future.
Mr. Sihasak said that, firstly, regarding the expansion of humanitarian aid coverage, we are very pleased that the Philippine Foreign Minister, as the Special Representative of the ASEAN Chair for Myanmar, will be visiting Myanmar to carry out humanitarian duties and discuss ways in which ASEAN can cooperate with Myanmar to expand access to humanitarian assistance, prioritizing the needs of the people on the ground. Secondly, we call for a further reduction in violence, especially violence that affects civilians and innocent people. Furthermore, we urge the continuation of inclusive dialogue involving all relevant parties, with the hope that this process will lead to national reconciliation.
At the same time, we would like to see efforts to create a more conducive political environment for resolving the issues, such as the release of more political prisoners, and further positive developments in the case of Aung San Suu Kyi.
'I think this is just the first step. We need to continue this participatory process; it's not a one-off event. At the same time, we expect Myanmar to strive to follow through on what we have previously stated. Ultimately, the next phase of the process must be one owned and led by Myanmar. We, as friends, as neighbors, and as fellow ASEAN members (because Myanmar remains a member of ASEAN), remain ready to assist and support Myanmar in order to fully rejoin the ASEAN family,' Mr. Sihasak said.
Mr. Sihasak also stated that during the briefing, the Myanmar Foreign Minister confirmed that Aung San Suu Kyi was being well cared for and that she had access to all necessary facilities and was in good health. ASEAN commented that it would be even better if the Special Representative of the ASEAN Chair had the opportunity to meet Aung San Suu Kyi in person, as this would allow ASEAN to verify and confirm the facts regarding what the Myanmar Foreign Minister had stated to the meeting.
Mr. Sihasak said that he also considered it a positive development that the Myanmar Foreign Minister had confirmed in front of all ASEAN Foreign Ministers that Aung San Suu Kyi was being well cared for. He also affirmed that Thailand remains ready to facilitate negotiations between the Myanmar government and armed ethnic groups, particularly those operating along the border with Thailand. Currently, this process is underway and preparations are being made in several areas, but further details can only be disclosed after these meetings take place.