BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN – ASEAN’s special envoy to Myanmar on Tuesday reaffirmed that he will not visit the country unless the military grants access to all parties concerned in the peace process.
Myanmar media had initially reported that YB Dato Erywan Yusof would fly to the crisis-hit country on Tuesday to meet with representatives of eight political parties. However later reports said the meeting had been cancelled and rescheduled to the following day.
According to the news website Myanmar Now, the junta’s election commission did not invite representatives from the ousted ruling party, the National League for Democracy (NLD), to the meeting with the special envoy.
Dato Erywan previously said a meeting with NLD lawmakers would be a pre-condition of any visit.
Responding to the news reports of his impending trip, his office issued a statement but declined to confirm that a visit would take place in the next few days.
The envoy said while he remains committed to working with Myanmar on the five-point consensus, any visit would be contingent on having access to “all parties concerned”.
He added that as special envoy he will remain neutral and “not take sides or political positions”.
“The Special Envoy looks forward to a visit to Myanmar that is in accordance with the Five-Point Consensus, to help build Myanmar’s trust and confidence in the Special Envoy, as well as to build ASEAN and the international community’s trust and confidence in Myanmar,” the statement read.
Myanmar’s military council has not yet announced details surrounding the envoy’s trip to Myanmar or the meeting with political parties.
The junta previously denied the envoy’s requests to speak with detained civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and has not respond to his call for a ceasefire.