Singapore foreign minister hails Anwar’s direct diplomacy on Myanmar as Asean pushes for peace

SINGAPORE, May 25 — Singapore Foreign Minister Dr Vivian Balakrishnan has commended Malaysian Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim for rallying ASEAN on the Myanmar issue and maintaining direct lines of communication with key stakeholders in the country.

"I commend Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim for rallying ASEAN and maintaining direct lines to both the State Administration Council (SAC) and National Unity Government (NUG),” he posted on Facebook on Saturday (May 24).

In April, Anwar held separate dialogues with leaders of the SAC and NUG, which marked a significant step towards fostering direct engagement between conflicting parties.

Balakrishnan also noted that Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa had recently visited Naypyidaw and held useful discussions.

"At today’s informal consultation between ASEAN Foreign Ministers, we reaffirmed the urgent need to fully implement the Five-Point Consensus — the paramount framework agreed to at the Leaders level, to achieve lasting peace and reconciliation in Myanmar,” he added.

Balakrishnan said more than four years after the coup, the situation in Myanmar remains dire and the suffering of the people has been compounded by the tragic earthquake.

He said that the earthquake in March was a painful reminder of the country’s fragility.

The minister noted that Singapore has deployed teams and contributed humanitarian aid, and is ready to do more.

"But humanitarian action must be matched by political will. And tragedy can sometimes open the door to unity and peace,” he added.

Balakrishnan said ASEAN stands ready to help the but the solution must ultimately be generated by the people of Myanmar.

"Only then will we have a credible and inclusive way forward that respects the will of the people,” he said. — Bernama

[Source: Malay Mail]