PUTRAJAYA: Malaysia’s concern on the current situation in Myanmar such as air attacks and reports relating to the continuous killings even though several efforts had been done by ASEAN had been highlighted at the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in Jakarta, Indonesia on Wednesday.
Foreign Affairs Minister, Datuk Seri Dr. Zambry Abd. Kadir said, he had stressed that it is important for ASEAN to strongly condemn the actions and not just merely stating concern about the situation.
“Those actions taken by the Juntas will not resolve the situation but enhances the problems in the country. For example, the Myanmar people who were affected with the situation will have to migrate to other places and this will lead to the problem of internally displaced persons.
“I also stressed that a stronger statement on the issue should be inserted in the Joint Statement of the 56th ASEAN Foreign Ministers (Joint Communique of the 56th AMM),” Zambry said in a statement after attending the ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting.
“I have heard the report from my counterpart from Thailand who had tried to find a way out via discussion and dialogue on his visit to Nay Pyi Taw recently.
“However, I said, all efforts should be based on the Five-Point Consensus – 5PC and the process and mechanism that had been agreed by ASEAN and should not be done personally,” he added.
Zambry said if there is any other effort like that in future, it should be reported to ASEAN as one of the forms of effort towards finding a way to resolve the issue.
The foreign minister stressed that the engagement with Myanmar does not mean that ASEAN had recognised the Myanmar authorities.
Meanwhile, Zambry had a bilateral meeting with his counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan from Saudi Arabia and among the discussions was on cooperation between ASEAN-Gulf Cooperation Council –GCC) in line with the roles of both countries as coordinators of ASEAN and GCC.
“We have also discussed on the ASEAN-GCC Summit that will be held in October 2023 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia that is seen to strengthen the strategic cooperation of the two regional organisations,” he said in a statement.
In the meeting Zambry had also extended the government of Malaysia’s appreciation to the government of Saudi Arabia for giving additional haj quota to the country and at the same time had given the best treatment to Yang di-Pertuan Agong while His Majesty the King and the Queen together with Tuanku Pemangku Sultan Pahang were performing their hajj recently.
“At the meeting, Prince Faisal had a direct interaction via telephone with Prime Minister, Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim and this had shown the commitment and close relationship between Malaysia and Saudi Arabia thus fending off all the accusations on the relationship of the two countries,” Zambry said in the statement.- Malaysia World News
