An ASEAN special envoy will lead a humanitarian delegation to Myanmar on Wednesday to discuss efforts to expand humanitarian access across the conflict-hit country, according to diplomatic sources.
The sources, who requested anonymity, said Philippine Foreign Secretary Maria Teresa Lazaro would visit Naypyidaw on October 28–29 to meet senior officials.
Lazaro is scheduled to meet Foreign Minister Tin Maung Swe to discuss ASEAN efforts to address Myanmar’s humanitarian needs.
The delegation will include senior officials and experts from the Jakarta-based ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on Disaster Management (AHA Centre).
Lazaro and the AHA Centre team will also visit Taunggyi in Shan State, where she will meet local relief officials from various organisations to discuss humanitarian needs.
Asked about ASEAN’s request for a meeting with Daw Aung San Suu Kyi during the two-day visit, the sources said no such meeting had been arranged. Suu Kyi remains under house arrest.
There has been considerable media speculation that Lazaro will meet Suu Kyi following recent positive developments.
Last week, Suu Kyi received a package from King Charles containing two books and a sealed letter.
She was also allowed to speak with her youngest son, Kim Aris, who lives in London. Earlier, Naypyidaw released a photograph showing Suu Kyi and Min Aung Hlaing sitting together in discussion.
Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow praised the moves by Naypyidaw as signs of progress.
He reiterated that the Myanmar crisis must be resolved by the Myanmar people themselves, while Thailand could offer assistance and advice.
Under the Anutin administration, Thailand has adopted a proactive approach to engaging with Myanmar and ethnic armed organisations.
In mid-July, Bangkok hosted an informal meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers to hear first-hand accounts from Swe about developments in Myanmar following its election.
The sources also noted that Myanmar had established an ASEAN Affairs Coordinating Committee to prepare for the country's return to the ASEAN fold.
The committee recently held its first meeting to outline measures for implementing the bloc’s Five-Point Consensus. Myanmar has also drawn up its own five-point roadmap, which it says will guide efforts to resolve the conflict that began in February 2021.
ASEAN foreign ministers have reiterated that Myanmar has yet to fulfil the Five-Point Consensus agreed upon in April 2021.
As a result, the bloc continues to exclude political appointees from Myanmar from its high-level meetings, although lower-level officials are permitted to attend ASEAN meetings to provide updates on developments and activities.
ASEAN-related summits will be held in Manila from November 16 to 18. Nearly 20 world leaders are expected to attend the three-day meetings, including US President Donald Trump, Chinese Premier Li Qiang, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and New Zealand Prime Minister Christopher Luxon.
