INCLUSIVE ELECTION ESSENTIAL FOR PEACE IN MYANMAR, SAYS THAI FOREIGN MINISTER

By Nur Atiq Maisarah Suhaimi and Voon Miaw Ping

KUALA LUMPUR, Oct 25 (Bernama) -- Thailand will continue to urge Myanmar’s authorities to ensure that its election, planned for the end of this year, is conducted in an inclusive manner, involving all stakeholders and the people of the country.

Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow emphasised that the election should form part of a continuous peace process that promotes dialogue and leads to lasting peace.

“Thailand will continue to urge the government in Naypyidaw to make the elections inclusive and also engage in dialogue before the election.

“We also see that the election is not the end game. It should be part of a peace process that involves continuous dialogue and efforts to promote reconciliation so that lasting peace can be achieved,” he told Bernama in an exclusive interview on Friday.

Sihasak said this year will be a crucial year for peace in Myanmar, as the outcome of the election, if held, will determine whether the country moves closer to reconciliation and stability or slips further into division and continued unrest.

Myanmar’s authority has announced an election for Dec 28, despite calls to prioritise national peace and stability efforts.

Sihasak, who is currently in the Malaysian capital to attend the 47th ASEAN Summit and Related Summits, also called on ASEAN leaders to consider appointing a permanent special envoy on Myanmar to address the prolonged quagmire.

“I think perhaps here in Kuala Lumpur is the right time for us to really discuss all this. What kind of special envoy do we need? What is the mandate and how many years?” he said.

Sihasak said that while it is the role of the Chair, Malaysia, to lead the discussion, Thailand will contribute constructively to the discussions.

The Thai minister also highlighted the need for greater regional attention to the instability in Myanmar, which not only adversely impacted its people but also the broader ASEAN region, including security along the Myanmar-Thailand border.

Sihasak cautioned that the crisis must be handled prudently to avoid affecting the bloc’s centrality and credibility.

“We must also explore how to better support the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC), which has yet to be fully carried out,” he said.

The 5PC, endorsed by ASEAN leaders in April 2021, was set out as a roadmap to restore peace and stability in Myanmar following the February 2021 coup that ousted its democratically elected government.

It called for an immediate cessation of violence, constructive dialogue with all parties concerned to restore peace and stability, the appointment of a special envoy of the ASEAN Chair to facilitate mediation, the facilitation of humanitarian assistance to the people of Myanmar, and a visit by the envoy and delegation to meet all parties concerned.

However, little progress had been made on the plan, as the military authorities continued to ignore calls for dialogue and sustained efforts toward peace and stability.

“And how ASEAN is able to deal with the crisis will, to a significant degree, impact on the bloc’s centrality and credibility,” Sihasak said.

The Myanmar crisis and its planned elections are expected to be among the key agenda items during the three-day ASEAN Summit.

Malaysia, which holds the ASEAN chairmanship this year under the theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability”, will host the 47th ASEAN Summit from Oct 26 to Oct 28 at the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre.

-- BERNAMA