PUTRAJAYA SEPT.3: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is following closely on the development in Afghanistan under the Taliban regime by collecting information from its offices in New Delhi, India and Islamabad in Pakistan.
Its Minister, Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said, Wisma Putra is taking a very cautious approach and need more information via observations on what is actually happening on the grounds.
“Apart from the information gathered from the Ministry’s offices abroad, seven people had been sent to Afghanistan as a fact finding mission with the help of the civil society organisation (CSO) the Global Relief Malaysia,” Saifuddin said in a virtual press conference after chairing the first meeting of its Consultative Council on Foreign Policy (CCFP) here today.
Saifuddin said that to a media question on how Malaysia sees the development in Afghanistan that is now under the Taliban after the American armies had a strong hold in the country for the past two decades.
Regarding the formation of CCFP, Saifuddin said, the council consists of 15 members including the Deputy Foreign Minister, MOFA’s Secretary General and two senior officials along with 10 other Malaysian representatives from the business, civil and academic backgrounds.
“The Consultative Council serves as a platform for its members to provide their views and inputs in the process of formulating foreign policy that aligns with our national interests.
The creation of the CCFP follows an open and consultative (Syura) approach in the process of implementing our foreign policy,” he added.
Saifuddin also highlighted that the meeting also discussed and focused on the new frameworks to be designed that will strengthen the functions of Wisma Putra and the foreign policies.
The Foreign Affairs Minister added, the policies include health diplomacy, the multi-literalisms based on peaceful co-existence and promoting the products of Malaysia; digital economy, cyber-security, sustainable economic goals and cultural diplomacy.
On another development, Saifuddin said, the Special Envoy of ASEAN Chair on Myanmar, led by Dato’ Erywan Pehin Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs II of Brunei Darussalam, has yet to get a date to go to Myanmar to meet the stakeholders of the country including Myanmar de facto leader Aung San Suu Kyi of the National League for Democracy.
Saifuddin said, he spoke to Erywan on 1st September and has highlighted to him that there should be a timeline to meet the leaders in Myanmar before the ASEAN Summit scheduled in October 2021.
“Erywan has the mission to relay the Five Point Consensus adopted by the ASEAN Leaders Meeting on 24th April 2021 and among others to be able to see as many groups as possible, meet the stakeholders and to provide humanitarian assistance to the people of Myanmar,” he said. –Malaysia World News.
