ASEAN Special Envoy To Visit Myanmar Ahead Of Summit 

By Kenny Teng Khoon Hock

BANGKOK, Oct 27 (Bernama) -- ASEAN Special Envoy to Myanmar Maria Theresa Lazaro is expected to visit Naypyidaw, Myanmar from Oct 28 to 29 to seek progress on efforts by the country to address its political crisis ahead of the 49th ASEAN Summit.

This was confirmed by Malaysian Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan and his Thai counterpart Sihasak Phuangketkeow during a joint press conference today.

Earlier, both foreign ministers co-chaired the 16th Meeting of the Thailand-Malaysia Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation (JC) and the 7th Meeting of the Joint Development Strategy (JDS) for Border Areas held here.

Mohamad said Lazaro, who is Philippine Foreign Secretary was expected to brief the ASEAN Troika, ahead of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting and 49th ASEAN Summit scheduled to convene in Manila next month. 

The Troika, comprising the current, previous and incoming ASEAN Chairs, aims to ensure continuity and coordinate efforts in addressing the Myanmar issue.

“As the chair of ASEAN this year, the Philippines' special envoy for Myanmar, Lazaro...I think she has to present something to report to the meeting, prior to our ministerial meeting at the 49th ASEAN Summit," he told reporters on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Sihasak expressed hope that the meeting would yield positive outcomes. 

"We hope that there will be good progress and some progress for her to report on when the ASEAN Foreign Ministers meet in Manila prior to the ASEAN Summit," he said.

The visit, the second undertaken by Lazaro since assuming the role comes as ASEAN continues efforts to urge Naypyidaw to address the protracted political crisis and advance implementation of the bloc's Five-Point Consensus.

-- BERNAMA