ASEAN appoints Bruenei’s Erywan Yusof as envoy to Myanmar: Report

Jakarta [Indonesia], August 4 (ANI): The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) foreign ministers have appointed Brunei’s second Foreign Minister Erywan Yusof as special envoy to Myanmar to facilitate mediation among the stakeholders and to find a peaceful resolution of the political crisis in the country, Kyodo News reported citing diplomatic sources.

In April, leaders of countries in the ASEAN reached a consensus on five points at a summit on the Myanmar crisis.

These included an end to violence, dialogue between the military and its opponents, allowing humanitarian help, and permitting a visit by a special ASEAN envoy.

Myanmar’s military, which overthrew the country’s diplomatically elected government, favoured Thailand’s former deputy foreign minister, Virasakdi Futrakul, to take the post.

Indonesia strongly opposed the selection of Thai candidate Virasakdi Futrakul.

On February 1, the Myanmar military overthrew the civilian government and declared a year-long state of emergency. The coup triggered mass protests, which were quashed with deadly violence in the country.

Earlier on Sunday, Myanmar’s military leader Min Aung Hlaing declared himself prime minister of the country and said that he plans to be in charge for two years during an extended state of emergency before holding an election in 2023.

Meanwhile, 945 people have been confirmed to be killed since the military takeover on February 1, according to Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP). (ANI)