Foreign Secretary Vikram Mishri visited Bangkok for informal consultations with Myanmar’s neighbors on the situation in the country amid clashes between its security forces and armed resistance groups.
Two days of meetings on Myanmar’s violent political crisis took place in the Thai capital Bangkok this Thursday and Friday, the latest in a long series of regional talks that have failed to make any progress in restoring peace to the war-torn Southeast Asian nation.
Foreign ministers and high-level representatives of Myanmar and its neighboring countries Laos, China, India, Bangladesh and the host Thailand participated in Thursday’s discussion.
Confirming that Egypt has gone to Bangkok for informal consultations, the official spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Randhir Jaiswal, said on Friday, ‘Our stance on Myanmar remains consistent. We call for a peaceful resolution of the caste problem through an end to violence and the establishment of genuine federal democracy. This process must be Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned and take into account the views of all stakeholders to ensure a return to inclusive peace and stability in Myanmar. Myanmar’s land-border neighbors are also of particular concern.
Myanmar has been engulfed in violence since the Myanmar military overthrew the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi in February 2021 and violently suppressed peaceful pro-democracy protests, sparking an armed resistance movement. The military government has used harsh tactics, including airstrikes, to suppress its opposition, but the war has only gotten fiercer in the past year in particular.
The six nations attending Thursday’s meeting “agreed that direct engagement with Myanmar is critical and necessary,” Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa said. “They see the value of meeting regularly. And they share the same understanding, more so than other countries, because they are direct neighbors directly affected by the situation in Myanmar.
Thai officials called Thursday’s talks “in a friendly and cordial atmosphere with a frank and constructive exchange of views in the areas of border security and combating international crime, especially illegal drugs and online scams.” Held”.
They said Myanmar Foreign Minister Than Swee briefed them on the military government’s political roadmap, which focuses on elections planned for next year.
China’s Vice Foreign Minister Sun Weidong said in the meeting that all parties should cooperate in advancing Myanmar’s peace and reconciliation process.
Why should you buy our membership?
You want to be the smartest in the room.
You want access to our award-winning journalism.
You don’t want to be confused and misinformed.
Choose your subscription package