Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin participated in the ASEAN-U.S. Ministerial Meeting, ASEAN-Australia Ministerial Meeting, ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting and 11th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting which were held via videoconference yesterday beginning 07:30 am from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Nay Pyi Taw.
The ASEAN-U.S. Ministerial Meeting was co-chaired by Saleumxay Kommasith, Minister for Foreign Affairs of Lao PDR and Antony Blinken, Secretary of State of the United States. The Meeting reviewed the ASEAN-U.S. cooperation, discussed its future direction and exchanged views on regional and international issues. Union Minister U Wunna Maung Lwin underscored that he was happy to see the continued progress in the ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue Relations and hoped that the partnership will thrive further in the coming years since next year will mark the 45th anniversary of ASEAN-U.S. Dialogue Relations. He also said that the United States was an important partner of ASEAN and appreciated the United States continued support to ASEAN centrality and for active participation in the ASEAN-lead mechanisms and hoped that this partnership would bring more tangible results and mutual benefits with no one left behind. In response to a comment made by a member state on the situation in Rakhine State, he responded that Myanmar was committed to working with ASEAN in the implementation of the recommendations made under the Preliminary Needs Assessment (PNA).
As for the repatriation of displaced persons from Rakhine State, the bilateral agreements signed between Myanmar and Bangladesh will remain in force. He also said that successful repatriation also needs close cooperation from Bangladesh and requested the Meeting to also encourage Bangladesh to work with Myanmar on the repatriation of displaced persons from Rakhine State.
The ASEAN-Australia Ministerial Meeting was co-chaired by Dato Seri Hishammuddin Tun Hussein, Foreign Minister of Malaysia and Marise Payne, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Australia. Union Minister for Foreign Affairs highlighted the importance of enhancing digital connectivity in mitigating COVID-19, inclusive implementation of the IAI action lines in narrowing the development so that no one is left behind. On RCEP, he welcomed countries that have ratified the RCEP Agreement and informed that Myanmar had deposited its instrument of ratification on 4 May 2021 under Article 20.5 and Article 20.6 of the RCEP Agreement.
Afterwards, ASEAN Foreign Ministers separately discussed the appointment of a special envoy of the ASEAN Chair pertaining to the Five Point Consensus as agreed upon by the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting. During the 54th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting held on 2 August 2021, Brunei Darussalam informed that the previous nomination submitted by Brunei Darussalam was no longer in consideration and therefore, proposed that Brunei Darussalam, as the ASEAN Chair, has appointed the Minister for Foreign Affairs II of Brunei Darussalam as the special envoy of the ASEAN Chair.
Myanmar also informed the Meeting that Myanmar was also agreeable to the proposed appointment of H.E. Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs II of Brunei Darussalam as the special envoy of the ASEAN Chair at the Meeting held on 4 August 2021.
The ASEAN-India Ministerial Meeting was co-chaired by Don Pramudwini, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand and Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, Minister of External Affairs of India. At the meeting, Union Minister underscored that he was happy to see the continued progress in the ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations and hoped to work closely with India in promoting partnership for peace, progress and shared prosperity covering all possible aspects of social, economic and cultural dimensions.
On education, he highlighted that it was crucial for CLMV countries and appreciated India’s support for students from CLMV countries to pursue graduate studies at the Nalanda University and the establishment of IT Training Centres in CLMV countries. He also hoped that a milestone would be set for the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-India Dialogue Relations by celebrating 2022 as “Friendship Year”. Union Minister also stressed the need to strengthen our efforts in the fight against the COVID-19 because another wave of infection was on the rise again in the region and appreciated India for contributing 1 million dollars to the COVID-19 ASEAN Response Fund, as well as for the donation COVID Shield vaccine to Myanmar.
Later in the evening, the 11th East Asia Summit Foreign Ministers’ Meeting was held and was chaired by Dato Erywan Pehin Yusof, Minister of Foreign Affairs II of Brunei Darussalam and was attended by Foreign Ministers and a representative from the ASEAN Member States, Australia, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea, New Zealand, the Russian Federation and the United States. The Secretary-General of ASEAN also attended the Meeting. During the meeting, they reviewed and exchanged views on the future direction of East Asia Summit Cooperation, and further exchanged views on regional and international issues. Union Minister for Foreign Affairs underscored that Myanmar was happy to see that EAS cooperation has been progressing for the past 16 years and hoped that all EAS participating countries would have the opportunity to promote cooperation, especially in health sectors.
The ASEAN-Russia Ministerial Meeting was co-chaired by Mahendra Siregar, Vice-Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia and Igor Morgulov, Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation. The meeting was attended by U Chan Aye, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar.
He highlighted that he was happy to see the continued progress in the ASEAN-Russia Dialogue Relations and expressed his support on Russia’s proposal to convene the ASEAN-Russia Commemorative Summit and hopes that it would further promote and maintain the momentum of ASEAN-Russia cooperation.
Senior Officials from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs also attended these meetings.—MNA
