Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro met Myanmar's Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Nay Pyi Taw on January 6 to discuss the political situation, controversial elections, and a stalled regional peace plan. This marked her first official visit as ASEAN chair amid ongoing violence in Myanmar. The trip forms part of the Philippines' efforts to implement the Five-Point Consensus.
In her first official visit as ASEAN chair, Foreign Secretary Theresa Lazaro met Myanmar's military ruler Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in Nay Pyi Taw on Tuesday, January 6. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) described the talks as a "warm and constructive exchange of views on geopolitical developments, the political situation in Myanmar particularly the ongoing elections," as well as ASEAN priorities and the five-point consensus peace framework.
Myanmar's state-run news agency reported that the two sides "exchanged views on the conditions under which elections are being held in Myanmar to ensure that all citizens retain their democratic rights," and discussed economic cooperation and enhancing ties within ASEAN.
President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. appointed Lazaro as the ASEAN Chair's Special Envoy to Myanmar ahead of the trip. The meeting occurred as early results from Myanmar's first election in five years showed the junta-backed Union Solidarity and Development party securing most seats in the lower house. The United Nations and human rights groups have condemned the vote as a sham, with pro-democracy parties barred from participating and Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi remaining detained after the junta dissolved her party.
"As Chair of ASEAN, the Philippines will continue to build on the efforts of previous Special Envoys of the ASEAN Chair on Myanmar in advancing the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus," Lazaro said in the DFA statement.
The five-point consensus, agreed in April 2021, calls for an immediate end to violence, constructive dialogue between the junta and all parties, appointment of a special envoy, humanitarian aid via ASEAN, and permission for the envoy to meet all stakeholders in Myanmar. Yet, progress has been minimal since its adoption, with the junta defying commitments amid a lack of firm repercussions from the bloc. Meanwhile, the junta's government has pressed a brutal crackdown, fueling a nationwide armed rebellion.
Under ASEAN's rotating chairmanship, each new chair appoints its own special envoy to mediate between Myanmar's warring factions, though talks continue on establishing a permanent one for better continuity. Two more rounds of voting are set for this January.
