Thailand hosts meeting on ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar

Bangkok (The Uttam Hindu): Representatives from the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) attended an informal consultation in the Thai capital of Bangkok to discuss the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus on the situation in Myanmar.The extended informal consultation meeting held on Friday, hosted by Thailand in support of Laos' ASEAN chairmanship, reaffirmed that the Five-Point Consensus remains the primary reference point for the bloc's efforts to address Myanmar's current political crisis, said Thai Foreign Ministry official Bolbongse Vangphaen. In a post-meeting briefing, Bolbongse emphasised the need to step up efforts to find approaches consistent with the Five-Point Consensus and the ASEAN leaders' decision to pursue a peaceful solution to the Myanmar situation. The meeting highlighted the importance of tackling the escalating transnational crimes and cross-border issues resulting from Myanmar's instability, Xinhua news agency reported. "They also all agree that a peaceful, stable and unified Myanmar is in the best interests of the entire region," Bolbongse said. Bolbongse noted that the meeting has been a crucial step in ensuring a smooth transition of ASEAN's chairmanship to Malaysia as the bloc stands ready to support Malaysia in its efforts to effectively implement the Five-Point Consensus in the coming year.

Foreign ministers from Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand participated in the extended informal consultation dialogue, along with high-level representatives from the other four ASEAN countries. As agreed upon during the ASEAN Leaders' Meeting in 2021, the Five-Point Consensus was established to address the political crisis in Myanmar and promote regional peace and stability. Myanmar has been in a state of political turmoil since the military toppled the democratically elected government in February 2021. The coup sparked mass protests, which evolved into a major anti-junta uprising, particularly in regions dominated by ethnic minorities. Those opposing the military regime have formed alliances comprising ethnic groups and civilian-led defence forces.