Philippine Foreign Minister says meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi during Myanmar trip would be a meaningful step for ASEAN

Philippine Foreign Minister and ASEAN Special Envoy to Myanmar, Therese Lazaro, has stated that she plans to visit Myanmar for a humanitarian trip by the end of this year. She confirmed this at the 10th ASEAN Media Forum, where ASEAN regional journalists met with officials from the ASEAN Chairmanship, the Philippines. Lazaro said that the Philippines' chairmanship of ASEAN this year could be the year with the biggest repercussions. Lazaro, who attended an informal meeting between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and the interim government's Foreign Minister U Tin Maung Swe in Bangkok on July 12, said her trip to Myanmar is scheduled between October and December. She further stated that the main objective of this trip is to provide food and medicine assistance to the people of Myanmar. "We are currently screening priority areas for assistance and hope to confirm them in August. The Philippine Embassy in Yangon is coordinating, and the trip is planned for around the end of this year," Lazaro said. She stated that she is proceeding cautiously as an ASEAN Special Envoy and is avoiding making demands. She pointed out that if she is able to meet with the detained national leader, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, it would be a meaningful step for ASEAN. "If we can meet with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, it would be very good for ASEAN and would re-highlight ASEAN's role on the world stage," Lazaro said.