Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Enrique Manalo has met with his counterparts from other ASEAN countries in Indonesia to discuss political developments in Myanmar as well as to prepare for the upcoming ASEAN Summit in November.
Manalo participated on Thursday, Oct. 27, in the Special ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta, where they discussed what the DFA called a "limited" progress in the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus.
The consensus, reached by ASEAN member states in April 2021 in response to political escalation in Myanmar after a military takeover of the Burmese government, are:
- There shall be immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar and all parties shall exercise utmost restraint.
- Constructive dialogue among all parties concerned shall commence to seek a peaceful solution in the interests of the people.
- A special envoy of the ASEAN Chair shall facilitate mediation of the dialogue process, with the assistance of the SecretaryGeneral of ASEAN.
- ASEAN shall provide humanitarian assistance through the AHA Centre.
- The special envoy and delegation shall visit Myanmar to meet with all parties concerned
"ASEAN Member States, including Myanmar's military government, agreed on the consensus to settle the political crisis in Myanmar. The meeting also discussed the representation of Myanmar in ASEAN meetings," the DFA said Friday.
Meanwhile, in preparation for the upcoming ASEAN Summit, which will be attended by the member states' leaders in Cambodia, ASEAN foreign ministers also considered recommendations for elevation to their heads of states in response to the situation in Myanmar.
Prior to the Special AMM, Manalo also met with Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai for bilateral discussion and for possible ways forward on the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus.