The Foreign Minister of the current ASEAN chair, the Philippines, Lazaro, stated that ASEAN does not currently recognize the recent elections held in Myanmar and reaffirmed that it will continue to promote the implementation of the 'Five-Point Consensus' to address the situation in Myanmar.
According to the Philippine News Agency, Lazaro said at a press conference after the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ informal meeting on the 29th that ASEAN has not yet reached a consensus on whether to support the Myanmar elections and more meetings and consultations are needed.
She said that although some member states view this Myanmar election as a 'positive signal,' this does not mean they support the Myanmar elections, but rather hope that the elections can lead to positive outcomes.
According to reports, the Myanmar representative attending the meeting said that the election was 'very peaceful' and that the turnout was high.
However, Lazaro emphasized that ASEAN’s stance is that Myanmar’s election must be free, fair, peaceful, transparent, inclusive, and credible, and therefore, the three-stage election just held in Myanmar has not yet been recognized.
After the final phase of voting in Myanmar’s general election was completed on the 25th, the pro-military parties claimed an overwhelming victory, but since opposition parties were unable to participate, human rights organizations have criticized this election as a sham.
Lazaro said the Five-Point Consensus remains the main framework for dealing with the Myanmar situation, including stopping violence, promoting dialogue among relevant parties, and providing humanitarian assistance. 'Even achieving a certain degree of compliance in implementing the Five-Point Consensus can help advance the situation.'