Asean should retain Brunei's Erywan as special envoy to Myanmar under Cambodia's chairmanship

Brunei's Foreign Minister Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof. - AFP

KUALA LUMPUR, Nov 1 (Bernama): The position and appointment of Brunei's Second Minister of Foreign Affairs, Erywan Pehin Yusof, as the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) Special Envoy to Myanmar should be continued under Cambodia's chairmanship next year.

Foreign Minister Datuk Saifuddin Abdullah said it is imperative for the regional bloc’s Secretariat office to maintain Erywan’s position in order to facilitate the continuous efforts and works, primarily in ending violence in Myanmar and to open up dialogue between the military rulers and their opponents.

"I would prefer if Asean sticks with the same Special Envoy, in order for the continuity of work to be carried out. After all, he (Erywan) was appointed as the Special Envoy of the Asean Chair on Myanmar.

"It doesn’t matter that the chair moved to Cambodia, but for the sake of continuity... let him continue his work as he has already had several meetings with Myanmar's Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin,” said Saifuddin during a press conference held at the Foreign Ministry, today.

Elaborating further, Saifuddin said inclusion of civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi in these meetings is important as to further the next steps on the ongoing issues involving Myanmar,

He said the ministry’s secretary general had also informed the next year’s Asean Chair to convene the Asean Senior Officials’ Meeting (SOM) to further discuss the next steps on Myanmar.

The foreign minister added that the military junta also must guarantee safety for volunteers who are providing humanitarian assistance, to enter and help the people in Myanmar.

The 38th and 39th Asean Summits which ended last Thursday, had convened without Myanmar, after it’s military refused to send a non-political representative to the meetings in protest over exclusion of its top general to the meetings.

Asean foreign ministers in an unprecedented move on Oct 15 had agreed to bar Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing, who toppled a civilian government on Feb 1, to the annual summit over his lack of action in implementing the Five-Point Consensus towards ending a political crisis triggered by the coup. - Bernama