Quad foreign ministers express deep concern over Myanmar crisis
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Htet Nadi (NP News) - July 5
Quad foreign ministers expressed their deep concerns over the Myanmar crisis and its regional implications in recent days.
“We reaffirm our strong support for ASEAN’s efforts to achieve an inclusive and lasting peaceful resolution to the Myanmar issue, including calling for the full and effective implementation of the Five Point Consensus,” the statement said.
“We are deeply concerned about the worsening crisis in Myanmar and its implications. We call on the government to honor its commitments to a ceasefire. We call on all parties to implement, extend, and broaden the ceasefire arrangements,” the joint statement from the Quad Foreign Ministers’ meeting in Washington on July 2 said.
The statement also called on all organizations to ensure the safe and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance, expressed concern about the impact of the crisis on regional security and the spread of transnational crime, and said that they are also combating cybercrime and online fraud.
In a recent report to the Human Rights Council in Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk described Myanmar as a country in armed conflict, a country of repression, and a country of deep suffering.
Currently, humanitarian needs in Myanmar are increasing, with some 22 million people in need of assistance and 3.5 million people displaced by armed conflict, he said.
“Despite the enormous challenges, people across society are striving to build a peaceful, sustainable, democratic and diverse Myanmar based on human rights,” he said. –