Press Release (25-10-2021, Nay Pyi Taw)

Myanmar being an ASEAN Member State has the full rights to participate in the upcoming ASEAN Summits and Related Summits to be held from 26 October 2021 to 28 October 2021 as the ASEAN Charter guaranteed equality of all ASEAN Member States and thus equal level of representation at the ASEAN Meetings in equal footing with fellow ASEAN Member States.

However, the current ASEAN Chair, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam’s invitation of non-political representative (Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs) to the upcoming ASEAN Summits and Related Summits is not in line with ASEAN Charter, ASEAN procedures and precedent. Moreover, Myanmar representative is denied to equal rights enjoyed by other ASEAN Member States. Therefore, downgrading the level of participant and limiting his role of discussions in the Summits is contrary to the Article 5 of the ASEAN Charter on “Rights and Obligation”.

Therefore, Myanmar has informed the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Brunei Darussalam that Myanmar can accept the participation of Head of State or Head of Government or his Ministerial level representative at the upcoming 38th and 39th ASEAN Summits and Related Summits to be held from 26 October to 28 October 2021.

Myanmar would be pursuing the due processes under the ASEAN Charter and the Protocol to the ASEAN Charter on Dispute Settlement Mechanisms in resolving the differences on Myanmar’s representation at the ASEAN Meetings and differences in interpretation of some relevant provisions of the ASEAN Charter.

Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nay Pyi Taw
Date, 25 October 2021