PASAY CITY, 26 April 2021 – Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. joined the call of the ASEAN Chair and the other Leaders to recommend the de-escalation of conflict in Myanmar, dialogue among concerned parties, mediation through a special envoy to be appointed by ASEAN, and the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the peoples of Myanmar.
Secretary Locsin supported the ASEAN consensus to appoint either the ASEAN Secretary-General or the ASEAN Chair to visit Myanmar to initiate talks among concerned parties, with the view to improving the situation on the ground. He stressed that Brunei’s role as Chair puts it in a strong position to lead ASEAN as it offers assistance to Myanmar in ending violence, restoring peace, and facilitating its return to political normalcy. Secretary Locsin also reiterated his previous calls for the immediate release of political prisoners.
The Meeting was conducted in a candid, family-style manner where ASEAN Member States expressed their concerns on the mounting death toll and the escalating violence against civilians following the takeover of the government by the Myanmar Armed Forces, locally known as the Tatmadaw.
Secretary Locsin recalled how ASEAN came together in support of the Philippines during the 1986 EDSA Revolution and called for all parties in Myanmar to restore national unity and resolve the crisis peacefully.
Myanmar’s Chairman of the State Administration Council, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, said that his country is focused on restoring peace and stability to improve the current situation, and that they would consider ASEAN’s positive and sound proposals, taking into account their domestic situation.
President Rodrigo Roa Duterte designated Secretary Locsin as his Special Envoy to the Meeting, where urgent matters in the region, including key initiatives on COVID-19 recovery, ASEAN’s external relations, and regional and international issues, were also discussed.