Vietnam and other ASEAN states always regard Myanmar as an important member of the 10-member bloc, a spokesperson of the Vietnamese Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) said today.
Hanoi and other regional nations want Myanmar actively to contribute to the building of the ASEAN Community as well as peace, security, and stability in the region, Spokesperson Le Thi Thu Hang said at the press conference on December 9 in commenting news that the 2022 ASEAN Chair Cambodia might invite Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing to ASEAN meetings.
In her response, Hang also said that Vietnam supports Cambodia’s ASEAN Chairmanship 2022 and the bloc’s common work is discussed by member states basing on the ASEAN Charter.
| Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen (R) and Myanmar’s military-appointed Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin in Phnom Penh on Dec 7. Photo: Khmer Times |
On Monday [December 6], Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Sen said he plans to visit Myanmar for talks with its military rulers and said junta officials should be invited to ASEAN meetings.
Hun Sen said all 10 members would be represented when Cambodia is the host of the bloc next year, arguing that Myanmar is a family member and has the right to attend meetings, Reuters reported.
On December 7, Myanmar’s military-appointed Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin held talks in Cambodia, including meeting with Hun Sen. The visit came one day after the junta sentenced civilian government leader, Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, to two years in jail.
In ASEAN’s Summits in October 2021, junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was not invited to join. The regional leaders once gathered in Indonesia in April 2021 to discuss the Mynamar situation after the February coup. The bloc has appointed a special envoy to Myanmar to facilitate mediation of the dialogue process with all parties concerned.
Concerning Vietnamese businesses and citizens in Myanmar, the MOFA and the Embassy of Vietnam in Naypyidaw have kept a close watch on the country’s situation to give timely support and citizen protection, at the same time, asking native agencies to ensure their safety and legitimate rights, the Vietnamese spokesperson said.
