Việt Nam backs comprehensive solution to Myanmar issue

A protest in Yangon, Myanmar, on March 3, 2021. —Photo AFP/VNA

NEW YORK — Việt Nam supports a comprehensive and sustainable solution with the strong commitment of relevant parties to the Myanmar issue, Deputy Head of the Vietnamese Delegation to the United Nations Lê Thị Minh Thoa has stated.

Addressing a meeting of the UN General Assembly on the Myanmar issue on June 13, the representative affirmed that the current top priority is ensuring safety and security for all people in Myanmar, and urged all parties in the country to end violence and ensure humanitarian access and healthcare along with vaccines against COVID-19.

She called on the State Administration Council (SAC) of Myanmar to continue cooperation with ASEAN in fully implementing ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus and to conduct dialogues among all stakeholders to seek peaceful and comprehensive solutions in accordance with the will and aspirations of Myanmar people.

Thoa stressed that the international community needed to help parties in Myanmar conduct dialogue and reconciliation, thus facilitating the democratic transition on the basis of respect for sovereignty and independence, territorial integrity and unity of Myanmar.

The diplomat also spoke highly of efforts made by the ASEAN Chair and the ASEAN Special Envoy on Myanmar, and applauded the close coordination between the UN and ASEAN in ensuring humanitarian assistance in the country.

She called on the international community to continue supporting ASEAN in promoting its central and leading role in helping Myanmar promote a peaceful solution.

Regarding the situation in Rakhine state, the Vietnamese representative reiterated the need for all parties to make efforts to address root causes of the crisis.

During the meeting, UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar Noeleen Heyzer reported on current difficulties and challenges in the country, and highlighted the important role of ASEAN in de-escalating the crisis and promoting the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus. She also proposed specific measures to solve the problem in Rakhine State.

Participants all highly valued ASEAN’s role in promoting a peaceful solution in Myanmar, and emphasised the importance of immediately and fully implementing the consensus.

At a meeting in Indonesia in April 2021, ASEAN leaders reached a consensus on five points on the Myanmar situation: ending violence, conducting constructive dialogue among all parties, appointing a special envoy of ASEAN to facilitate the dialogue, providing humanitarian assistance for Myanmar’s people through the ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance, and sending the special envoy to Myanmar to meet all the sides involved. — VNS