Riot police stand guard near a prison during a demonstration by protesters against the military coup in Naypyitaw, on Feb 15, 2021. — AFP/VNA Photo

NEW YORK — A Vietnamese diplomat has reiterated the call to immediately end violence in Myanmar, restore trust, begin dialogue and conciliation, and implement the five-point consensus reached by ASEAN leaders in April this year.

The international community should continue assisting Myanmar and creating a favourable environment for the implementation of these targets in line with fundamental principles of international law and the UN Charter, Ambassador Đặng Đình Quý, Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the UN, told the UN General Assembly’s meeting on June 18 (US time), during which a resolution on the situation in Myanmar was adopted.

Quý expressed his deep concerns about clashes and attacks in recent weeks which killed many people, underlining that civilians in Myanmar must be protected from the risk of an all-out civil war.

Though the newly-adopted resolution was incomplete and failed to fully reflect the real situation in Myanmar, Việt Nam still cast a yes vote to show its support for dialogue, cooperation and trust building, said Quý, stressing that together with ASEAN, Việt Nam would work hard to assist Myanmar to overcome the current hard time for the interests of its people and for peace, stability and prosperity in the region.

Earlier the same day, the UN Security Council (UNSC) convened a meeting on Myanmar, during which Erywan bin Pehin Yusof, Second Minister of Foreign Affairs of Brunei, as the Chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in 2021, briefed participants on recent efforts taken by the bloc regarding the Myanmar situation. The UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy for Myanmar Christine Schraner Burgener also delivered a report at the meeting.

The Brunei official highlighted efforts of ASEAN in promoting seeking peaceful solutions, especially measures discussed during his visit to Myanmar in June as well as the implementation of the five-point consensus reached by ASEAN leaders on April 24.

All UNSC member countries praised ASEAN’s endeavours in promoting the peaceful settlement of the Myanmar issue, underlining the need to speed up the performance of the five-point consensus. They agreed that the ASEAN should appoint a special envoy for Myanmar.

Many countries continued to express concerns about attacks and violence in this Southeast Asian country and called on all parties to restrain and engage in dialogue to deal with differences.

They showed their hope that the ASEAN Special Envoy and the UN Secretary-General's Special Envoy for Myanmar would work closely together to promote the search for peaceful solutions to the Myanmar issue.

Speaking at the meeting, Deputy Permanent Representative of Việt Nam to the UN, Minister Counsellor Nguyễn Phương Trà, said that Việt Nam had kept a close watch on developments in Myanmar and was worried about conflicts and attacks in this country in the past several weeks as well as the increasing risk of a civil war.

"Việt Nam calls on all stakeholders in Myanmar to immediately stop conflicts and other violent activities, reducing tension and ensuring the unhindered humanitarian access of needy civilians, especially vulnerable groups," she stressed.

"Constructive dialogue, cooperation and trust building measures with people placed in the centre are decisive factors to deal with the current situation," she added.

The Vietnamese representative urged all parties in Myanmar to restore trust with each other and the international community, underscoring that dialogue cannot be conducted without trust.

Trà also highlighted ASEAN’s efforts and called on all UNSC members and the international community to continue supporting the endeavours and stance of the association, including in the provision of assistance and humanitarian aid through ASEAN mechanisms. — VNS