Asean reaffirms commitment to Five-Point Consensus peace plan for Myanmar

The ministers met to discuss the strife-torn neighbour ahead of next month’s Asean leaders’ summit, which Myanmar’s junta is barred from attending.

The Asean ministers reaffirmed their backing for time-bound implementation of the Five-Point Consensus agreed with the Myanmar military regime in April last year.

The meeting took place against the backdrop of Sunday’s deadly airstrike by junta warplanes on civilians at a concert celebrating the 62nd anniversary of the Kachin Independence Organization (KIO), reportedly killing 80.

In a statement after Thursday’s meeting, Asean chair Cambodia said the ministers “reaffirmed the importance and relevance” of the consensus, “and underscored the need to further strengthen its implementation through concrete, practical and time-bound actions”.

The Five-Point Consensus calls for an immediate end to violence and dialogue among all parties, mediation of dialogue by Asean’s special envoy, provision of Asean humanitarian aid, and a visit by the bloc’s special envoy to meet all parties in the conflict. However, junta violence has been escalating across the country in response to a nationwide uprising against military rule.

Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi acknowledged that Asean foreign ministers were disappointed with the lack of significant progress in implementing the five-point consensus, with some expressing their frustration.

Marsudi also condemned Myanmar military junta Sunday’s concert airstrike.

She urged all parties to work together to stop violence in Myanmar as soon as possible.