Malaysia calls for Myanmar to fulfil Asean Five-Point Consensus

NEW YORK: Malaysia has stressed the importance of Myanmar fulfilling its responsibilities as an Asean member and implementing the Five-Point Consensus (5PC) to help address the prolonged crisis in the country.

This was among the positions conveyed by Malaysia during a courtesy call by International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) president Mirjana Spoljaric on Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Mohamad Hasan.

According to a meeting note shared with the media, Malaysia will continue to engage constructively with Asean in efforts to address the situation in Myanmar.

"Discussions focused on the increasingly challenging global humanitarian situation, including developments in Myanmar and the need to ensure that humanitarian assistance can continue to reach those in need," the statement read.

During the meeting, the ICRC president also invited Malaysia to be represented by Prime Minister Datuk Seri Anwar Ibrahim at the High-Level Conference on Humanitarian Issues in War, which will be held in Jordan on Dec 7 at the invitation of Jordan's King Abdullah II.

The ICRC said participation at the level of a head of state or government would send a strong message about the international community's commitment to humanitarian issues.

The two sides also discussed autonomous weapons systems, which are receiving increasing attention from the international community.

"In this regard, the international community needs to take immediate action to establish international regulations governing autonomous weapons systems, while supporting the ongoing process in Geneva," the statement said.

Mohamad is currently in New York leading the Malaysian delegation to the 81st United Nations General Assembly.