Foreign ministers of the ten ASEAN member states convened an informal meeting via videoconference on March 2 to discuss the political crisis in Myanmar.
Hanoi (VNA) - Foreign ministers of the ten ASEAN member states convened an informal meetingvia videoconference on March 2 to discuss the political crisis in Myanmar.
The Japanesenews agency Kyodo quoted a senior official from an ASEAN member country as sayingthat all 10 foreign ministers are attending, including Myanmar’s military-appointedForeign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin.
Brunei, which holds the rotating chairmanshipof ASEAN this year, organised the meeting under the auspices of Indonesian ForeignMinister Retno Marsudi and Malaysian Foreign Minister Hishammuddin Hussein.
Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnansaid on March 1 that despite ASEAN’s core principle of consensus and non-interference,ASEAN can still play a constructive role in hopefully facilitating a return to normalcyand stability in Myanmar.
During an informal meeting of the UnitedNations General Assembly on February 26, Vietnam’s Permanent Representative to theUN, Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy, called on parties in Myanmar to exercise self-restraint,avoid escalating tensions, and conduct dialogue towards reaching a satisfactorysolution in line with the Constitution and law as well as public aspirations.
In his opinion, the international communityneeds to create favourable conditions for the transition to democracy in Myanmarand respect the principles of independence, national sovereignty, and non-interferencein countries’ internal affairs while ensuring safe and humanitarian access to keyservices for Myanmar’s people, especially vulnerable groups.
He stressed that Vietnam wants Myanmarto return to stability soon, for the sake of its development as well as for peace,stability, and cooperation in the region and for ASEAN Community building./.
A Malaysian court has allowed a temporary stay of deportation of 1,200 Myanmar nationals who were scheduled to be sent back homeland on February 23, according to an insider.
Vietnam requests Myanmar’s authorised agencies to ensure safety for Vietnamese citizens living in Myanmar and protect the legitimate interests of Vietnamese enterprises operating in the country in accordance with the two countries’ agreements as well as international law and practices.
ASEAN members are arranging to hold a special foreign ministers meeting next week to discuss the political crisis in Myanmar in the wake of the coup there early this month, according to ASEAN diplomatic sources.
Vietnam’s Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador Dang Dinh Quy has called on the international community to assist ASEAN in preventing risks of violence and helping millions of people in Myanmar who are bearing the economic brunt of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Republic of Korea (RoK), China and Japan agreed on May 3 to reinforce the regional financial safety net, along with members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), by launching a new financing facility programme meant to extend greater support in case of a financial crisis.
A technical issue combined with an extreme heatwave was blamed for a series of explosions at a military base that killed 20 soldiers and injured several others in Cambodia on April 27, the country’s Ministry of Defence said in a May 2 statement as reported by the Xinhua news agency.
The Customs Department of Thailand is scheduled to commence the collection of value-added tax (VAT) on imported goods sent via postal services, regardless of the goods value, starting in May.
A lecturer from Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Medicine has warned Thais to be more vigilant against COVID-19, saying infection rates appeare to be worsening with higher hospital admissions, deaths and severe cases.
Malaysia should harness the collective expertise and resources to drive sustainable growth and development of the halal industry, according to Minister of Investment, Trade and Industry Zafrul Abdul Aziz.
Laos has officially restored the 10% value-added tax (VAT) rate starting May 1, in a bid to support the country’s budget revenue and socio-economic development.
The ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) entered its second plenary session in Hanoi on the afternoon of April 23, discussing ways to ensure comprehensive security for the people-centred ASEAN Community.
The first session of the ASEAN Future Forum 2024 (AFF 2024) in Hanoi on April 23 focused on fast and sustainable growth for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
The Canada-ASEAN Business Council (CABC) and the ASEAN Alliance on Carbon Markets (AACM) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to strengthen collaboration and accelerate the implementation of carbon crediting programmes across Southeast Asia.
ASEAN Secretary-General Kao Kim Hourn reaffirmed ASEAN leaders' commitment to empowering the youth to unleash their full potential when he had a dialogue with ASEAN youth in Hanoi on April 22 on the sidelines of the ASEAN Future Forum (AF 2024).
The Thai Government is being urged to increase the proportion of renewable power generation to more than the target of 50% set in the power development plan (PDP).
The Centre for Volcanology and Geological Hazard Mitigation (PVMBG) of Indonesia on April 21 lifted its tsunami advisory issued previously following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Sitaro district of North Sulawesi province.
Thailand expects to export about 1 million tonnes of durian, valued at an estimated 130 billion THB (3.53 billion USD) this year, with most of the shipments to China, according to Minister of Agriculture Thammanat Prompao.
The 72nd meeting of the ASEAN Working Group on Intellectual Property Cooperation (AWGIPC) and related meetings are being held by the Ministry of Science and Technology’s Intellectual Property Office (IPO) of Vietnam in the central city of Da Nang on April 22-26.
Enhancing regional food security and tackling the pressing challenges of climate change will be key agendas defining Malaysia’s ASEAN Chairmanship in 2025, Speaker of the Dewan Rakyat (lower house) Johari Abdul told the press on April 19.
In Mandalay, Myanmar (Photo: VNA) 
