ASEAN Efforts Helped Reduce Violent Incidents In Myanmar - PM Anwar
KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 28 (Bernama) -- Ongoing efforts by ASEAN to help resolve the crisis in Myanmar, including a series of meetings and dialogues with the country’s leaders, have succeeded in reducing the number of violent incidents across several regions, said Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim.
Anwar, as ASEAN Chair, described the current situation in Myanmar as “better than before,” though he acknowledged that some attacks were still taking place.
“There are still one or two incidents, but not like what we heard two or three years ago, when villages were destroyed, killings occurred, and hundreds of thousands fled. Such things no longer happen on that scale. Yes, incidents still occur, and we do regret them, but the situation is much calmer now.”
He said this at a media conference after the closing ceremony of the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits here at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre, which was also attended by Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Anwar said the positive developments were the result of ASEAN’s persistent efforts to bring peace to Myanmar.
“Some have asked about a solution for Myanmar. We have not deviated from the decision to uphold the Five-Point Consensus (5PC).
“We discussed it and I myself met Senior General and Prime Minister Min Aung Hlaing twice, in Bangkok and Beijing, while our foreign ministers also held discussions with their counterparts and other Myanmar leaders,” he said.
Anwar said these engagements showed ASEAN’s readiness to maintain constructive relations with Myanmar.
“The benefit is clear, over the past year, since ASEAN intervened and engaged with them, the attacks have lessened. We will continue our efforts to bring goodwill and change, to stop the violence, whether it affects the Buddhist Karen or Muslim Rakhine communities.
“Although our achievements are not complete, this beginning is already a significant success. There is still much to do. It is complex and difficult, but we cannot accept continued attacks and killings,” he said.
The 47th ASEAN Summit, which began in the Malaysian capital last Sunday, concluded today with Malaysia symbolically handing over the ASEAN Chairmanship to the Philippines.
-- BERNAMA
