ASEAN Special Envoy hits back at criticism from SAC-M over their handling of the Myanmar crisis

Mizzima The Philippines Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) on Sunday described the statement issued by some members of the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M) on July 18 as “malicious and misleading,” following an informal meeting of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers with Myanmar last week. The Philippines is serving as the ASEAN Chair this year, with Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa P. Lazaro acting as the Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar. “The Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar regrets the malicious and misleading statement made by some members of the Special Advisory Council for Myanmar (SAC-M) issued on 18 July regarding the ASEAN Chair’s current approach towards the situation in Myanmar,” the DFA said in a statement released on 19 July. The SAC-M is an independent organization of experts on the Myanmar situation. The DFA claims that the meetings were conducted in accordance with the mandate given by ASEAN leaders to continue constructive and principled engagement with Myanmar in line with the Five-Point Consensus (5PC). The 5PC, adopted by ASEAN leaders in 2021, calls for an immediate cessation of violence, constructive dialogue among all parties, the appointment of an ASEAN special envoy, humanitarian assistance and the envoy’s engagement with all parties in Myanmar. The meetings were held as part of Lazaro’s mandate to pursue “constructive dialogue among all parties concerned.” “During these consultations, ASEAN Foreign Ministers agreed to meet with H.E. U Tin Maung Swe for a discussion on developments in Myanmar, including the way forward on the implementation of the 5PC,” the DFA said. The department added that prospects for the deployment of humanitarian assistance were also discussed during the consultations, as part of ASEAN’s effort to advance the full and effective implementation of the 5PC. The special envoy has reaffirmed the 5PC as ASEAN’s primary framework for addressing the political crisis in Myanmar. “The Special Envoy remains committed to engaging with all parties concerned in an effort to implement the relevant action points in the 5PC, particularly the cessation of hostilities, facilitation of constructive dialogue, the mediation of the dialogue process, and expansion of humanitarian assistance in Myanmar,” the statement says. In a statement issued on 18 July, the SAC-M criticized the Philippines’ approach to engaging Myanmar’s military-led government as a “failure” and described the country’s ASEAN chairmanship as being in a “tailspin.” “The Philippines’ term as ASEAN Chair is in a tailspin as Secretary of Foreign Affairs Ma. Theresa Lazaro brings a disastrous combination of timidity and poor judgment to her role as Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar,” the statement read. “Special Envoy Lazaro rewarded the Myanmar military junta’s bloodshed and recalcitrance by agreeing to convene an informal meeting of ASEAN Foreign Ministers with the junta’s foreign minister,” it added. In a response to the special envoy’s criticism of the SAC-M statement, the SAC-M said: “ASEAN Foreign Ministers, who are currently meeting in Manila, must immediately restore ASEAN’s blanket ban on engagement with senior junta officials. “They must also collectively demand the full and immediate implementation of the 5PC, with an escalating series of consequences to be triggered by continued junta non-compliance.” The post ASEAN Special Envoy hits back at criticism from SAC-M over their handling of the Myanmar crisis appeared first on ENG.MIZZIMA.COM.