ASEAN Special Envoy's role will no longer be needed as the elected government is taking responsibility, Ministry of Foreign Affairs announces

It is understood that the newly appointed Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair and its role will no longer be needed in the future, as the government that emerged from the multi-party democratic elections held in accordance with the will of the people in Myanmar is taking responsibility, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on August 8. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated this in response to the ASEAN Chair's statement regarding the meeting between Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and the local representative of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC). It was stated in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs' announcement that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi and Mr. Arnaud de Baecque, the local representative of the ICRC, met on August 3, 2026, and that the meeting was conducted in accordance with Myanmar's existing laws, relevant procedures, and the standards and procedures of the International Committee of the Red Cross. It was also noted that a statement from the ASEAN Chair regarding this meeting was released on August 7, 2026. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs' announcement stated that while Myanmar acknowledges the positive remarks in the statement, it is disappointed that some of the wording and demands do not reflect the positive efforts of a member state. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the demands in the statement, "to grant more access to detainees in Myanmar" and "to release Daw Aung San Suu Kyi unconditionally and in full," affect a country's relevant judicial process and the fundamental principles of the rule of law. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Daw Aung San Suu Kyi is being investigated and prosecuted under criminal law because she has been legally convicted of election fraud, corruption, and mismanagement. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that although the government is reducing her sentences from a humanitarian perspective, the matter of her unconditional and full release can only be done in accordance with the law. The Ministry's announcement stated that over the past five years, Myanmar has cooperated as much as possible with successive Special Envoys of the ASEAN rotating Chairs to Myanmar and will continue to cooperate with the current ASEAN Chair's Special Envoy to Myanmar. However, it is understood that the newly appointed Special Envoy of the ASEAN Chair and its role will no longer be needed in the future, as the government that emerged from the multi-party democratic elections held in accordance with the will of the people in Myanmar is taking responsibility, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced on August 8. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that as ASEAN is a rule-based regional organization composed of sovereign states, it is necessary to always respect and abide by the fundamental principles of the ASEAN Charter, especially the principles of freedom, sovereignty, equality, and non-interference in the internal affairs of member states. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs also stated that member states need to abide by the principles they have set for themselves and avoid actions that amount to pressure or interference in the internal affairs of a member state. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that Myanmar will respond to non-positive discriminatory treatment with necessary responses on a case-by-case basis, and in accordance with Myanmar's foreign policy, based on the actual situation, it will promote relations with ASEAN in a Myanmar-led, Myanmar-specific manner, giving priority to national interests and sovereignty.