Indonesia Ready to Host Myanmar Dialogue to Support Reconciliation

Indonesian Foreign Minister Sugiono has expressed Indonesia’s readiness to host a dialogue between conflicting parties in Myanmar as a form of support for achieving reconciliation in the country. “We are ready if Indonesia is to be the host. I think Indonesia is also more acceptable for that position,” Sugiono said in Jakarta on Tuesday. Following the 6th Indonesia-Vietnam Joint Commission for Bilateral Cooperation meeting, Sugiono stated that this goodwill gesture had been conveyed during an informal meeting of ASEAN foreign ministers with Myanmar in Bangkok, Thailand, on Sunday (12/7). Sugiono explained that during the discussion, the ASEAN foreign ministers addressed developments in the situation in Myanmar, focusing on the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC). He noted that any progress in efforts to achieve peace in Myanmar should be appreciated, while acknowledging that the complexity of the situation means implementing the 5PC will take considerable time. Furthermore, Sugiono highlighted the importance of a derivative mechanism within ASEAN to ensure that progress on the 5PC implementation in Myanmar can be assessed more concretely. During the informal ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting, he assessed that the implementation of the 5PC in Myanmar still faces various challenges. One of these is achieving an inclusive dialogue, which is crucial for national reconciliation efforts amid the ongoing civil war. “An inclusive national dialogue involving all stakeholders is the key to sustainable peace and national reconciliation,” he said on the occasion. He also stressed that the 5PC remains ASEAN’s main reference in achieving peace in Myanmar, with an emphasis on ending violence, inclusive dialogue, and the safe and non-discriminatory delivery of humanitarian assistance.