Manila Reaffirms Support For ASEAN Consensus On Myanmar, Eyes UN Security Council Seat

KUALA LUMPUR, May 25 (Bernama) -- The Philippines has reaffirmed support for ASEAN’s core principles in addressing the Myanmar crisis and called for more effective implementation of the Five-Point Consensus, Foreign Secretary Enrique Manalo said.

He expressed hope that mechanisms such as the ASEAN special envoy and leaders’ meetings would help accelerate progress on the consensus.

Manalo emphasised that while ASEAN must uphold its non-interference principle, it should also seek ways to foster more effective dialogue among Myanmar stakeholders.

“Our hope is that we can at least promote a dialogue and eventually a reduction of the hostilities - if not a ceasefire - which could hopefully lead to some kind of reconciliation,” he said in an interview held ahead of the 46th ASEAN Summit.

On the global front, Manalo confirmed that the Philippines is actively campaigning for a non-permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) and aims to contribute constructively to major global issues.

“We want to play a positive role in the UN… as a peace-maker, a bridge builder. We’ve been a UN member for 80 years, and we believe we have some experience on many issues involving the UN,” he said.

On how Manila intends to garner global support for its UNSC bid, Manalo said the campaign includes bilateral and regional diplomacy.

The 46th ASEAN Summit is being held under Malaysia’s 2025 Chairmanship themed ‘Inclusivity and Sustainability’. This marks Malaysia’s fifth time chairing ASEAN, following previous terms in 1977, 1997, 2005 and 2015.

-- BERNAMA