VOI - Voice of Indonesia | RRI - Radio Republik Indonesia

VOINews, Jakarta - The issue related to the political and humanitarian crises in Myanmar dominated the discussion of foreign affairs ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta on Wednesday.

"We discussed various issues during the retreat session in a very open manner, highlighting the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus," Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi stated after chairing the retreat session of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Affairs Ministers' Meeting (AMM).

Minister Marsudi reiterated that the consensus must become the main reference for handling various issues in Myanmar.

"Any other initiative must support and be in line with the consensus," she noted.

The consensus called for an immediate end to violence; holding of dialogue among all parties; the appointment of a special envoy; allowing humanitarian assistance from ASEAN; and permitting an ASEAN special envoy to visit Myanmar to meet with all parties.

The minister noted that Indonesia, this year's ASEAN chair, had very intensive and broad engagements with all stakeholders in Myanmar, with the objective of realizing an inclusive national dialogue to create durable peace in the country.

"These engagements serve as a means to achieve the goals, including to build trust, bringing together those who have never met. This is not an easy task, but we keep striving to finish it," Marsudi noted.

Marsudi then underlined that during the retreat session, all ASEAN member states showed full support for Indonesia's approach that aligns with the mandate found in the consensus.

"At least, the engagements can encourage conflicting parties to start thinking of holding dialogues as the next building block. We believe that an inclusive dialogue will pave the way to political solution, which will lead to durable peace," she remarked.

Furthermore, Marsudi also stated that the ASEAN is still highly concerned over the continuing and increasing violence in Myanmar.

Hence, the ASEAN urges all stakeholders to stop violent acts, particularly those resulting in civilian casualties, including bombings in public facilities, such as schools and hospitals.

"Without putting an end to violence, we will not be able to create a conducive situation required for initiating dialogues," she emphasized.

Myanmar has been struggling with violent events and economic crisis as a result of the mutiny carried out by the military junta against the elected government in February 2021.

The junta then took follow-up measures to mute different opinions regarding the election result by launching brutal assaults, leading to high numbers of casualties and injuries as well as division in the country. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Saudi Arabia has become the 51st country to sign the ASEAN's Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).

"We welcome Saudi Arabia to the ASEAN family," Indonesian Foreign Affairs Minister Retno Marsudi stated during a ceremony event for the signing of the Instrument of Accession to the TAC by Saudi Arabia's Foreign Affairs Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud here Wednesday.

The signing was conducted on the sidelines of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM).

Marsudi noted that the signing of the TAC by Saudi Arabia reflected the country's commitment to obeying ASEAN values and principles, namely to cooperate, consistently uphold international law, and contribute to peace and stability in the Southeast Asia region and beyond.

The minister emphasized that those values and principles are essential to continuously be implemented amid the current geopolitical dynamics.

"Together, we must serve as a positive force for peace, stability, and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific region," she remarked.

Apart from Saudi Arabia, Indonesia will also make efforts for Panama, Spain, and Mexico's accession to the TAC on the sidelines of the 43rd ASEAN Summit in September 2023.

The TAC, which was established in 1976, aims to create political stability and security in Southeast Asia by regulating the peaceful resolution of conflicts between countries. (Antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Thai Foreign Affairs Minister Don Pramudwinai confirmed that he had met with the exiled and imprisoned Myanmar leader, Aung San Suu Kyi.

"She (Suu Kyi) was in a healthy condition," the minister stated on the sidelines of the Retreat Session of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta on Wednesday.

Pramudwinai remarked that Myanmar's ousted leader pushed for dialogue as a means to resolving the political crisis in her country.

The minister then reiterated that inclusive dialogues involving Myanmar stakeholders, including the military junta, are of the essence to deal with the crisis, saying, "We must engage the junta."

Thailand has been taking its own alternative approach to resolving the crisis in Myanmar by inviting representatives of the military junta to three meetings since last year.

Bangkok invited all ASEAN ministers to the most recent meeting held in June. In the end, the Laotian foreign affairs minister and Myanmar junta's representatives joined the meeting, while other ASEAN foreign affairs ministers stayed away.

Minister Pramudwinai affirmed that all the three Thailand-initiated meetings fully complied with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Leaders' Review and Decision on the Implementation of the Five-Point Consensus document.

The consensus called for an immediate end to violence; holding of dialogue among all parties; the appointment of a special envoy; allowing humanitarian assistance from ASEAN; and permitting an ASEAN special envoy to visit Myanmar to meet with all parties.

The Thai minister defended Bangkok's approach by referring to Article 14 of the document, which was released after the 2022 ASEAN Summit in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and states, "ASEAN shall consider exploring other approaches that could support the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus."

The approach does not violate the Five-Point Consensus that ASEAN has agreed upon, he stressed.

"Yes, we aim to collectively achieve the points encapsulated in the consensus, but this (the meetings) is the approach we take to engage the colleagues in Myanmar. We seek for a settlement, so our goal is basically the same," he emphasized.

The interaction between Pramudwinai and Suu Kyi on Sunday (July 9) was the first confirmed meeting between the Burmese democracy icon and a foreign high-ranking official since the mutiny carried out by the military junta against the Myanmar elected government. (antaranews)

VOINews, Jakarta - Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi has emphasized that the five-point consensus (5PC) must continue to be the reference for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in handling the Myanmar crisis.

"The 5PC is the main reference, and the implementation of the 5PC should remain the focus of ASEAN," she noted in her opening remarks at the retreat session of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting in Jakarta on Wednesday.

The consensus calls for an immediate end to violence, the holding of dialogue among all parties concerned, the appointment of ASEAN's special envoy to facilitate mediation, the provision of humanitarian assistance to Myanmar, and the ASEAN special envoy's visit to Myanmar to meet with the parties concerned.

Marsudi noted that ASEAN leaders in Phnom Penh have stated that any other effort must support the implementation of the 5PC.

ASEAN was divided when the Thai government last month held a meeting inviting representatives of Myanmar's junta, which has been excluded from ASEAN meetings since the February 2021 coup.

Several ASEAN member countries refused to attend the meeting.

According to Thailand, dialogue with the junta is necessary to protect its country, which shares a long border with Myanmar.

Indonesia, as the ASEAN chair this year, has conducted more than 110 intensive engagements with stakeholders in Myanmar so far.

"This is a very complex exercise, and it is not easy at all," Marsudi underlined.

She stressed that dialogue should be encouraged in engagements with parties in Myanmar, as it will pave the way to a political solution.

Only a political solution would lead to lasting peace, she affirmed.

At Wednesday's event, Marsudi also expressed concern over the continuing and increasing violence in Myanmar, adding that Indonesia strongly condemns the use of force and violence in the country.

To this end, Indonesia is urging all stakeholders to denounce violence, which is deemed to be the key to building trust, delivering humanitarian assistance, and conducting dialogue.

Furthermore, she drew attention to the progress achieved regarding humanitarian assistance.

Marsudi expressed hope that the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre)'s access to reach people in need would be further granted, including in Magway and Sagaing. (Antaranews)