Selangor Journal
Demonstrators protest against the military coup in Yangon, Myanmar, on February 17, 2021. — Picture by REUTERS

Foreign Minister to talk to Myanmar counterpart regarding ongoing crisis

PUTRAJAYA, Oct 22 — Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan is set to speak with his Myanmar counterpart U Than Swe soon regarding the ongoing crisis in the country which has persisted since the military coup in February 2021.

Mohamad said he would contact his Myanmar counterpart after the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Samoa, which will conclude on Saturday (October 26).

“I will try to have a discussion with my counterpart after my return from the CHOGM meeting. I will call him,” he said.

Mohamad was speaking to the press after the official launch of the Hibiscus (Bunga Raya) inspired logo and theme “Inclusivity and Sustainability” for the Asean-Malaysia Chairmanship 2025 at the Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) today.

He added that currently, the signal in Myanmar “looks good to pave the way for discussions from various factions in the country”.

“Now that we have received a lot of signals from various factions in Myanmar, they are willing to talk, they are willing to discuss… we will take this advantage to talk and discuss with them on what they actually want.

“For us, we do not want to pressure anyone because we want to listen to what they have in mind first. Then we will sit down again,” Mohamad said.

After these discussions, the minister will bring the issue to his Asean counterparts to determine the best approach for addressing the situation in Myanmar.

On the South China Sea issues, he said Malaysia would ensure that any negotiation or discussion held on that matter, including the code of conduct, would align with international law and adhere to the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea 1992.

According to a news report, Malaysia and China held their first bilateral dialogue on the management of maritime issues in the South China Sea last week in Langkawi, Kedah.

Present at the ceremony today were Investment, Trade and Industry Minister Tengku Datuk Seri Zafrul Tengku Abdul Aziz (Coordinating Minister for the Asean Economic Pillar); Tourism, Arts, and Culture Minister Datuk Seri Tiong King Sing (Coordinating Minister for the Asean Socio-Cultural Pillar), and Deputy Foreign Affairs Minister Datuk Mohamad Alamin.

Also in attendance were senior government officials, foreign heads of mission to Malaysia, representatives of international organisations, and media representatives.

— Bernama

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