Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan met Indonesian Minister of Foreign Affairs Her Excellency Retno Marsudi in Singapore today. Both Ministers exchanged views on the ongoing developments in Myanmar. They expressed grave concern over the situation and also expressed hope that all parties involved will maintain dialogue and work towards a peaceful resolution and national reconciliation in Myanmar, including a return to its path of democratic transition. Minister Balakrishnan urged all parties involved to exercise utmost restraint and take urgent steps to de-escalate the situation. He stressed that there should be no violence against unarmed civilians. In particular, live rounds should not be fired on unarmed civilians under any circumstances.
Both Ministers agreed that ASEAN can play an important role in facilitating constructive dialogue and a return to normalcy and stability in Myanmar. They discussed possible next steps for ASEAN to address the situation in Myanmar, including how it could foster inclusive dialogue with all key stakeholders, including its external partners. They also expressed strong support for a proposed Informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on Myanmar to be convened as soon as possible, to facilitate a constructive exchange of views and identify a possible way forward.
Both Ministers also took the opportunity to reaffirm the excellent state of bilateral relations and for both countries to continue to explore areas of further collaboration amidst the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Minister Retno visited Singapore from 17 to 18 February 2021.
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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS
SINGAPORE
18 FEBRUARY 2021
Meeting between Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan and Indonesian Minister for Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, 18 February 2021
[Photo Credit: Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Singapore]
