Press Release
Myanmar received the invitation from Cambodia, the current Chair of ASEAN, to the non-political representative from Myanmar to attend the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and related Meetings from 31 July 2022 to 6 August 2022 in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. Myanmar didn’t participate in the 55th AMM and related meetings as it is obviously contradictory to the Article 5 of the ASEAN Charter on “Rights and Obligations”.
Myanmar accepted the ASEAN five-point consensus as a responsible member of ASEAN. When the ASEAN five-point consensus was discussed, Myanmar clearly stated that it will be undertaken based on evolving domestic situation of the country, the interest of the country, and the principles of ASEAN Charter and ASEAN Way and ASEAN spirit. ASEAN should respect the right of every Member State refraining from interferences in internal affairs of fellow member states, subversion and coercion. ASEAN should also respect Myanmar’s efforts to manage its internal affairs in line with the State Constitution (2008), existing law and regulations of one country.
The Ministry objects to the usage of a “lack of progress” on the implementation of ASEAN five point consensus stated in the paragraph on “Developments in Myanmar” in the Joint Communiqué of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting as it neglects Myanmar’s efforts on its implementation.
Myanmar never fails in its endeavors to find a peace and tranquility in the country while closely and constructively cooperating with special envoy of the current ASEAN Chair in the implementation of the five-point consensus. Ongoing peace efforts led by the Chairman of the State Administration Council himself, is a notable progress. In order to achieve enduring peace for the entire nation, the Chairman of the State Administration Council met with leadersof ten Ethnic Armed Organizations (EAOs), and the Peace Negotiation Committee met with EAOs, political parties and peace-seeking organizations 75 times and had frank discussion with them to achieve peace across the country.
The Government has always been providing timely information on the terrorist activities of NUG and PDF and the loss of innocent lives and damages caused by those activities despite government’s all out efforts for peace in every corner of the country.
If ASEAN member States and external partners genuinely wish to help Myanmar in restoring normalcy, they should not encourage engaging with the terrorist groups such as NUG and PDF and should avoid any actions that could encourage terrorism.
Provision of Humanitarian Assistance through AHA Centre is another tangible progress made under five-point consensus. While giving special consideration to the safety and security of humanitarian personnel, Myanmar government will continue facilitating delivery of broader humanitarian assistance to the people in equitable and non-discriminatory manner.
Therefore, ASEAN should avoid any one-sided assessment on the implementation of the five-point consensus. Progress of implementation of ASEAN five-point consensus should be assessed in objective and fair manner based on the factual updates and situations on the ground.
The Ministry strongly objects and rejects on the Joint Statement issued by the AICHR representatives of Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore and some ASEAN member states’ expression of their concerns on the execution of four criminals as they are incorrectly referred them as “political activists”.
Those criminals are executed not because of being democracy activists but because of they are found guilty of masterminding, inciting, supporting,
arming and committing terrorist activities which caused tremendous loss of innocent lives. It is inappropriate to express those four criminals as “political activists”. Myanmar already explained and sent letters to the Chair and other ASEAN member states about the terrorist activities of those four criminals along with actual facts and data.
Myanmar will continue to implement its Five-Point Future Plan and will also constructively cooperate with ASEAN while adhering to the important principles enshrined in the ASEAN Charter and in line with ASEAN practices. Myanmar will continue facilitating and cooperating with the special envoy of the current ASEAN Chair in implementation of the ASEAN five-point consensus by Myanmar-owned and Myanmar-led process without compromising its national sovereignty.
Myanmar believes that ASEAN can maintain its unity and centrality in the long-term only if all ASEAN member states respect the provisions and basic principles of ASEAN Charter, especially equality, inclusiveness, sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of ASEAN member States.
Therefore, Myanmar rejects and dissociates the paragraph on “Developments in Myanmar” in the Joint Communiqué of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nay Pyi Taw
Date, 5 August 2022