President Jokowi Reiterates Importance of Implementing Five ASEAN Consensus Points for Myanmar Issues

President Joko Widodo

President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo has reiterated the importance of implementing ASEAN Five-Point Consensus to settle the issue of Myanmar. Having a conversation by phone with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, who also assumes the chairmanship of ASEAN 2022, President Jokowi reiterated that ASEAN’s approach  towards Myanmar should be based on commonly agreed principles, particularly the Five-Point Consensus.

“The implementation of Five-Point Consensus should not be used to support the Five-Point Roadmap of Tatmadaw. Do not let the Five-Point Consensus associated with it because it will be considered as a form of ASEAN’s support towards the Myanmar military,” President Jokowi said at Merdeka Palace in Jakarta, on Friday (01/21).

The President also deplored that the attitude of the Myanmar military regime did not show any commitment in implementing the Five-Point Consensus during the visit of Prime Minister Hun Sen to Myanmar. To a greater extent, two days after the visit of Prime Minister Hun Sen, Myanmar’s ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi’s sentence was extended to another four years.

“Moreover, acts of violence still continue to happen in Myanmar. It was not a good gesture and did not pay respect to the efforts of Prime Minister Hun Sen to settle the issue of Myanmar,” he said.

In addition to that, President Jokowi alo emphasized that the Myanmar military authority should provide access to the ASEAN Chair’s Special Envoy to be able to immediately communicate with all parties in Myanmar. This communication is very significant to pave the way for an inclusive national dialogue.

“Access for all stakeholders is very important. Commitment to provide the access is very important as well, so there will be a political solution agreed and accepted by all parties. I am worried that by labeling the NLD (National League for Democracy) and the NUG (the National Unity Government) as terrorist groups, the Special Envoy will not be provided with access to meet them,” he explained.

Furthermore, Indonesia also remains consistent that while there is no significant development in the implementation of Five-Point Consensus, it is important to uphold the decision saying that Myanmar may only be represented by non-political level in the ASEAN meetings.

Meanwhile, in response to Prime Minister Hun Sen’s proposal to establish a Troika consisting of Minister of Foreign Affairs/Special Envoy of Cambodia, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei, and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, and supported by the Secretary-General of ASEAN to monitor the implementation of Five-Point Consensus, President Joko Widodo has taken it into account and said that the proposal shall be discussed further by ASEAN Ministers of Foreign Affairs.

Lastly, President Jokowi also agrees upon the proposal for the arrangement of consultative meeting consisting of Special Envoy and Secretary-General of ASEAN, AHA Center (the ASEAN Coordinating Center for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management), Myanmar authority and the United Nations organizations to support the distribution of humanitarian assistance without discrimination.

“I agree with Prime Minister Hun Sen that humanitarian assistance should be provided without discrimination,” he emphasized. (Bureau of Press, Media, and Information of Presidential Secretariat/UN)(AW/MUR).