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Former Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi. / Photo courtesy of AP, Yonhap News Agency

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) held an informal meeting with Myanmar's foreign minister in Bangkok, Thailand, to discuss the status of detained former State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi and the implementation of the regional peace plan, Reuters and local media reported on July 12 (local time). The meeting marks the first face-to-face engagement between ASEAN foreign ministers and a Myanmar representative since the February 2021 military coup.

During a press conference following the meeting, Philippine Foreign Affairs Undersecretary Maria Theresa Lazaro, who also serves as the ASEAN Special Envoy to Myanmar, shared remarks made by Myanmar Foreign Minister Tin Maung Swe. According to Lazaro, Minister Tin Maung Swe assured the bloc that the 81-year-old Suu Kyi is in good health, stating, "She is a relative, she is a sister, and therefore, we will take care of her." Lazaro has consistently pushed for an in-person meeting with the deposed leader.

Suu Kyi was ousted during the 2021 coup and subsequently sentenced to 27 years in prison on a series of charges including incitement, corruption, electoral fraud, and violating the Official Secrets Act. Her allies have strongly maintained that the charges were entirely fabricated to block her political activity, allegations that Suu Kyi herself has denied. While her sentence was recently reduced by one-third, her exact location remains undisclosed, with Lazaro previously stating only that she had been transferred to a "designated location."

Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow commented on the situation, stating, "It would be far more desirable if the ASEAN Special Envoy is granted an opportunity to meet Suu Kyi directly, as it would allow us to verify the claims made by the Myanmar foreign minister."

Meanwhile, the Singapore Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which has maintained a firm stance against the Myanmar military regime, issued a statement confirming that Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan attended the meeting. Singapore expressed disappointment over the limited progress made in implementing the Five-Point Consensus peace plan. The ministry reiterated that "constructive dialogue among all key stakeholders in Myanmar" remains essential for a peaceful and lasting resolution to the crisis.

Due to its failure to implement the Five-Point Consensus, Myanmar's military leadership has been barred from attending high-level ASEAN summits since the coup. Following tightly controlled elections earlier this year, a nominally civilian government was launched in April, with former military Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing assuming the presidency and subsequently seeking to normalize diplomatic ties with ASEAN. Estimates suggest that the ongoing civil war in Myanmar has claimed approximately 100,000 lives and displaced millions.

During the meeting, ASEAN foreign ministers reaffirmed the validity of the Five-Point Consensus and urged "concrete and measurable steps," including a permanent cessation of violence, the release of all political prisoners, and the safe, unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance across all regions of Myanmar. Minister Balakrishnan of Singapore, which will assume the ASEAN chair in 2027, reportedly held separate meetings with Minister Tin Maung Swe and other key stakeholders.

                                                                                                              Jeong Ri-na