Myanmar junta chief 'not opposed' to visit by ASEAN delegation to help resolve crisis, says PM Lee
Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing has said he is not opposed to a visit by a delegation from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to help resolve the crisis in the country.
This came out of a meeting among leaders of ASEAN member states in Jakarta on Saturday (Apr 24), said Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong.
During the meeting, attended by General Min Aung Hlaing, member states outlined six outcomes they would like to see in Myanmar, including a visit by an ASEAN delegation facilitated by Myanmar authorities.
PM Lee Asks Myanmar Junta To Stop Violence & Release Detainees, Work Towards Peaceful Solution
He was speaking at an ASEAN meeting in Jakarta
Since a military coup in Myanmar on 1 Feb, tensions have escalated dramatically, with peaceful protests often ending in bloodshed.
PM Lee attended the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia, and called for Myanmar authorities to cease further bloodshed.
He also called for the immediate release of political detainees like Aung San Suu Kyi.
ASEAN leaders call for immediate end to violence in Myanmar
This handout photo taken on April 23, 2021 and released by the Indonesian Presidential Palace shows Indonesian President Joko (AFP/Handout)
ASEAN leaders held a special meeting on the Myanmar crisis on Saturday in which they called for an immediate end to the violence against protesters in the country and for special envoys to be sent to push for the inclusive dialogue there.
The in-person summit in Jakarta of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations also included Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, Myanmar's military leader who sparked the ongoing crisis in the member country by staging a coup in February.
The meeting was held amid a sense of urgency within the regional bloc as more than 730 anti-coup protesters and others have reportedly been killed by Myanmar's security forces since the mitltary ousted the civilian government led by Aun San Suu Kyi in Feb 1 coup.
ASEAN demands ‘immediate cessation of violence’ in Myanmar
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has released a five-point statement on the crisis in Myanmar, demanding the “immediate cessation of violence” and calling on all parties in the country to exercise “utmost restraint”.
Myanmar – part of the 10-nation ASEAN – has been in turmoil since the military overthrew civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup on February 1, triggering a mass uprising from all corners of society demanding a return to democracy. The ASEAN document, issued on Saturday following an ASEAN emergency summit in Jakarta, also called for “constructive dialogue” to resolve the crisis.
“[All] parties concerned shall commence to seek a peaceful solution in the interests of the people,” ASEAN said. It added that “a special envoy of the ASEAN Chair shall facilitate mediation of the dialogue process, with the assistance of the Secretary-General of ASEAN”.
President Joko Widodo (second left) delivering his speech at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Myannmar crisis talks in Jakarta on April 24, 2021. © AFP
ASEAN also said it would provide humanitarian assistance, and said that the special envoy and delegation would visit Myanmar to meet with all parties concerned.
ASEAN leaders reach consensus to end Myanmar crisis, demand junta end killings
Southeast Asian leaders said they had agreed on a plan with Myanmar's junta chief on Saturday to end the crisis in the violence-hit nation, but he did not explicitly respond to demands to halt the killing of civilian protesters.
"It's beyond our expectation," Malaysian Prime Minister Muhyiddin Yassin told reporters after the leaders' meeting of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) that was also attended by Myanmar's Senior General Min Aung Hlaing.
"We tried not to accuse his side too much because we don’t care who’s causing it," Muhyiddin added. "We just stressed that the violence must stop. For him, it’s the other side that’s causing the problems. But he agreed that violence must stop."
Myanmar: Military chief urged to stop violence on first foreign trip
The general (left) is in Jakarta for a regional summit that is expected to focus on Myanmar
South East Asian leaders have urged the head of the Myanmar army, which took power in a coup in February, to end the violent crackdown in the country.
In his first known foreign trip since the takeover, General Min Aung Hlaing heard calls for the military to stop killing protesters and to release political prisoners. More than 700 people have been killed and thousands detained since the coup. The talks in Indonesia were the first big effort to address the crisis.
A statement released after the summit said the leaders and foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) had reached a consensus on five points. They included asking for an immediate stop to the violence and opening a dialogue between the military and civilian leaders, with that process overseen by a special Asean envoy who would also visit with a delegation. The group also offered humanitarian assistance.
ASEAN leaders' meeting on Myanmar begins in Indonesia
Myanmar’s junta leader is participating in meeting as well as premiers, foreign ministers of member states from bloc
The Association of Southeast Asian (ASEAN) leaders has begun a meeting in Indonesia on Saturday to seek a solution to the Myanmar crisis, which has killed more than 700 people since the Feb. 1 military coup.
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah from Brunei Darussalam, the current chair of the regional bloc, is presiding over the meeting at the office of ASEAN Secretariat in Indonesian capital Jakarta.
Saturday's meeting "consists of three segments, namely ASEAN community development, ASEAN external relations, and regional and international issues," the Indonesian presidency said in a statement.
Lee Hsien Loong is in Jakarta, Indonesia Yesterday at 06:11
Attended the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia today. My first trip out of Singapore in over a year since the pandemic started.
The recent events and bloodshed in Myanmar are deeply concerning. It can affect stability, security and prosperity not only in Myanmar, but also ASEAN and our region.
Our open, frank and sincere dialogue today is just one step, but a key one. We hope that sense will prevail, and a durable and peaceful political solution can be found soon. – LHL
leehsienloong @leehsienloong Apr 24
At the @ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting in Jakarta tdy, we shared our views directly with Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. Our dialogue is just one step, but a key one. We hope that a durable & peaceful political solution can be found soon. – LHL
https://go.gov.sg/gnj2yo
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