Myanmar told to facilitate regional envoy's visit

ISTANBUL

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen has urged the military junta leader of Myanmar to facilitate the visit of a special envoy appointed by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), a regional bloc.

Sen held a video conference with Myanmar's junta leader Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing on Wednesday evening, a statement by Cambodia’s prime minister office said.

Sen, who is also chairman of ASEAN, recalled four points of a consensus reached by the bloc in April last year.

Hliang was told to “facilitate, as soon as possible, the first vist to Myanmar by special envoy of ASEAN chair,” the statement said.

ASEAN last year appointed senior Brunei diplomat Erywan Yusof as a special envoy to Myanmar.

Sen called on all parties, including the Myanmar government, to stop violence and move toward a cease-fire.

He urged the military junta leader “to join other ASEAN member states and other sides to provide humanitarian assistance to the Myanmar people who are in need of help.”

According to the Myanmar-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, the military junta has killed nearly 1,500 people and arrested almost 11,700 over the past year.

The meeting came after the Cambodian prime minister paid a visit to Myanmar early this month, the first by any foreign leader after the Myanmar military launched a military coup last Februrary and jailed many political leaders including Aung Suu Kyii, the democratically elected leader of the country.