Press Release: Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting

 

THE Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (Special AMM) was held on 27 October 2022 in Jakarta, Indonesia. Myanmar received the invitation from the Chair of ASEAN to assign a non-political representative to the meeting. It contradicts Article 5 of the ASEAN Charter on “Rights and Obligations”. Since Myanmar fully adhered to the principle of non-interference in internal affairs and the principle of equal rights and obligations, Myanmar did not accept the invita­tion, which discriminates the level of representation among the Member States.

The meeting was held with only nine ASEAN Member States without My­anmar, which is not in line with the principles enshrined in the ASEAN Charter. Therefore, Myanmar will not be bound by the outcomes of the meeting.

Since it assumed the state’s responsibilities in line with the 2008 State Con­stitution, the State Administration Council has been implementing the Five-Point Roadmap to restore the multiparty democratic system. At the same time, as a responsible member state, Myanmar has been constructively cooperating with the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair in implementing the ASEAN five-point consensus.

To restore peace and stability in every corner of the country, the Government is holding several rounds of dialogues with Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs), political parties, and peace negotiation groups. The Government is also imple­menting the Five-Point Roadmap and achieving tangible progress. In addition, the Provision of Humanitarian Assistance through the AHA Centre is another notable progress made under ASEAN five-point consensus. While giving special consideration to the safety and security of humanitarian personnel, the Govern­ment continues facilitating the delivery of broader humanitarian assistance to the population without any discrimination. It will also continue to facilitate the Joint Need Assessment to start the Phase II process of the ASEAN Humanitarian Assistance.

Although the Government is prioritizing building the Union based on democ­racy and federalism as desired by the people of Myanmar, the so-called NUG and PDF terrorist groups have been committing violent activities to disturb its efforts. Despite the challenges and undue pressure from inside and outside the country, Myanmar Government is cooperating with other fellow members to materialize the five-point consensus as a responsible member state. Since implementing the five-point consensus is a process, inserting additional pressure by setting a timeframe will create more negative implications than positive ones.

It is crucial to maintain ASEAN unity and centrality towards a sustainable regional organization, especially at this time of rising global rivalries and major power competitions. While respecting each other’s sovereignty and integrity, ASEAN, a rule-based organization, must follow the provisions and fundamental principles of the ASEAN Charter, especially non-interference in the internal affairs of the member states. By so doing, ASEAN can maintain its unity and centrality.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Nay Pyi Taw

Date, 27 October 2022

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