Bangkok, Dec 21 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.
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