BANGKOK, Thailand – Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Sihasak Phuangketkeow hosted the Informal Meeting of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers with the Foreign Minister of Myanmar, as well as the Extended Informal Consultation on Myanmar, on July 12, at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok. The meetings were chaired by Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro, Secretary for Foreign Affairs of the Philippines, in her capacity as the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar and ASEAN Chair, and was attended by Foreign Ministers and high-level representatives of ASEAN Member States.
The meeting held frank and constructive exchanges of views on ways to advance efforts to address the situation in Myanmar. Discussions focused on fostering greater mutual understanding between ASEAN and Myanmar, supporting the concrete implementation of the Five-Point Consensus, and promoting peace, stability, and the well-being of the people of Myanmar. The meeting recognized the need for direct engagement and dialogue between ASEAN and Myanmar to help build confidence, foster meaningful progress, and create the conditions for calibrated re-engagement. ASEAN will continue to follow developments in Myanmar closely and remains united in its shared objective of helping Myanmar achieve peace and stability through dialogue and consensus-building.
The meeting marked the beginning of an ongoing process, with ASEAN looking forward to further discussions on practical ways forward, including at the 59th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting, scheduled to be held in Manila, the Philippines, with a view to advancing concrete cooperation and meaningful progress on the situation in Myanmar. (NNT)
