PH joins ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting in Jakarta

Foreign Affairs Secretary Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr., Special Envoy of the President, attends a candid exchange of views on regional and international issues at the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting held on 24 April 2021, in Jakarta, Indonesia. The meeting was also attended by the Heads of State, Heads of Government, High Representatives, and Special Envoys of ASEAN, together with the Sultan of Brunei Darussalam, Chair of ASEAN 2021. (DFA Photo)

PASAY CITY, 26 April 2021 - Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. joined the call of the ASEAN Chair and the other Leaders to recommend the de-escalation of conflict in Myanmar, dialogue among concerned parties, mediation through a special envoy to be appointed by ASEAN, and the delivery of humanitarian assistance to the peoples of Myanmar.

Secretary Locsin supported the ASEAN consensus to appoint either the ASEAN Secretary-General or the ASEAN Chair to visit Myanmar to initiate talks among concerned parties, with the view to  improving the situation on the ground.  He stressed that  Brunei’s role as Chair puts it in a strong position to lead ASEAN as it offers assistance to Myanmar in ending violence,  restoring peace,  and facilitating its return to political normalcy. Secretary Locsin also reiterated his previous calls for the immediate release of political prisoners. 

The Meeting was conducted in a candid, family-style manner where ASEAN Member States expressed their concerns on the mounting death toll and the escalating violence against civilians following the takeover of the government by the Myanmar Armed Forces, locally known as the Tatmadaw.

Secretary Locsin recalled how ASEAN came together in support of the Philippines during the 1986 EDSA Revolution and called for all parties in Myanmar to restore national unity and resolve the crisis peacefully.

Myanmar’s Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said that his country is focused on restoring peace and stability to improve the current situation, and that they would consider ASEAN's positive and sound proposals, taking into account their domestic situation. 

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte designated Secretary Locsin as his Special Envoy to the Meeting, where urgent matters in the region, including key initiatives on COVID-19 recovery, ASEAN’s external relations, and regional and international issues, were also discussed.

Secretary of Foreign Affairs Teodoro L. Locsin, Jr. (left) met with Indonesia’s Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi (right) prior to the working dinner to discuss bilateral matters between the Philippines and Indonesia (DFA Photo)

Following a bilateral meeting with the Foreign Minister of Indonesia upon his arrival in Jakarta, Secretary Locsin attended a Working Dinner among some ASEAN Foreign Ministers, held on 23 April 2021 at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to prepare for the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting. 

The Leaders’ Meeting was the first face-to-face event to be convened involving ASEAN heads of state, heads of governments, and their special envoys since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. END