Office of the Spokesperson
The text of the following statement was released by the Governments of the United States of America, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on behalf of the European Union, in support of the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar.
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The Governments of Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Norway, the Republic of Korea, Timor-Leste, the United Kingdom, the United States, and the High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, on behalf of the European Union, remain deeply concerned about the dire situation in Myanmar, its growing toll on the people of Myanmar, and its worsening implications for regional stability. A peaceful and non-violent resolution of the crisis and return to democracy is a matter of urgency.
Recognising ASEAN’s central role in the Indo-Pacific region, we reaffirm our strong endorsement of ASEAN’s ongoing efforts to chart a course out of the current crisis in Myanmar. We welcome the prospective visit to Myanmar by the Minister of Foreign Affairs (II) of Brunei Darussalam, Dato Erywan, as the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar, and are committed to supporting his efforts to facilitate Myanmar’s full and urgent implementation of the Five-Point Consensus, as decided by ASEAN Leaders and the Commander in Chief of the Myanmar military on 24 April. We emphasise support for the objectives of Dato Erywan’s visit, including his intention to meet all parties in line with the Five-Point Consensus, and call on the regime to facilitate his access. We reiterate our support for the Special Envoy role going forward, and stand ready to support ASEAN’s efforts across Chairs.
We call on Myanmar to engage constructively with the ASEAN Special Envoy to also implement other aspects of the Five-Point Consensus swiftly and completely. In line with the Five-Point Consensus, we call on the military to immediately cease violence; engage in constructive, inclusive dialogue with all stakeholders; and to facilitate safe, unimpeded access for humanitarian assistance, including by ensuring the safety of humanitarian and health workers. We also call for full respect for human rights, including the immediate release of those unjustly detained, including foreigners. We further call on the military to facilitate regular visits to Myanmar by the ASEAN Special Envoy, and for him to be able to engage freely with all stakeholders.
