The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has renewed its call for regular and sustained access to detained Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi and reiterated its demand for her complete and unconditional release following her meeting with an International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) representative.

In a recent Chairman’s Statement, the ASEAN, currently chaired by President Marcos, welcomed the Aug. 3 meeting between Suu Kyi and ICRC Resident Representative to Myanmar Arnaud de Baecque, describing it as a positive step toward inclusive national dialogue and reconciliation among all parties in Myanmar.

“We view this as a positive step towards inclusive national dialogue and reconciliation among all parties in Myanmar and hope that this will pave the way for regular and sustained access for her family, legal counsel, medical professionals, and appropriate humanitarian representatives,” Marcos said.

The bloc also urged the further expansion of access to people detained in Myanmar since February 2021 and reiterated its call for their release, including Suu Kyi's complete and unconditional release.

“We believe that further positive steps would contribute to building trust and creating a more conducive environment for lasting peace and stability in Myanmar,” President Marcos said.

The ASEAN chair reaffirmed the continued relevance of the ASEAN Special Envoy on Myanmar in engaging all parties toward an inclusive national dialogue in line with the Five-Point Consensus, which remains the bloc's primary framework for addressing the crisis.

“We reiterate the continued relevance of the role of the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar in engaging all parties concerned towards an inclusive national dialogue, in line with the Five-Point Consensus (5PC),” the statement read.

The statement also called for the Special Envoy, currently Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, to be granted access to Myanmar to meet all parties concerned, including Suu Kyi, as part of the envoy's mandate under the Five-Point Consensus.

“In this regard, we look forward to the Special Envoy being granted access to visit Myanmar to meet with all parties concerned, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, as part of the Special Envoy’s mandate under the 5PC,” Marcos said.

In her press briefing during the conclusion of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on July 24, Lazaro said ASEAN continued to use the Five-Point Consensus in assessing Myanmar's compliance and participation in ASEAN meetings.

She added that ASEAN was developing measurable benchmarks to assess Myanmar's implementation of the consensus and stressed that the issue was not about how many ASEAN members supported or opposed Myanmar's return to high-level meetings.

“There's no number, because the issue here is, have they complied with the five-point consensus? If there is compliance, then that means it will change,” Lazaro said.

She also said that failure to meet the benchmarks would mean failure to comply with the Five-Point Consensus.

“Again, we repeat, we always go back to the five-point consensus,” Lazaro said.

The ASEAN chair said the bloc remained committed to helping Myanmar, as an integral part of ASEAN, achieve a peaceful and durable solution to the crisis that is Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led.