Asean envoy ends Myanmar trip with no public Suu Kyi meeting

Asean’s special Myanmar envoy, Philippines foreign secretary Theresa Lazaro, wrapped up a two-day visit to the nation Thursday, with no sign of meeting detained democratic ex-leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

The Philippines, which holds the rotating Asean chair, has repeatedly called this year for access to Suu Kyi, detained since being unseated in a 2021 military coup.

The status of 81-year-old has long been a sticking point for the 11-nation Asean bloc, which has frozen Myanmar’s leaders out of its summits since the putsch.

Lazaro and foreign minister Tin Maung Swe “held substantive discussions on ways to restore Myanmar’s original role and rights within Asean”, according to a statement from Myanmar’s foreign ministry.

It did not mention any meeting with the Nobel Peace Prize laureate Suu Kyi, who authorities say is under house arrest in the capital Naypyidaw.

The Philippines foreign ministry earlier said Lazaro had spent Wednesday in the eastern state of Shan, overseeing humanitarian schemes aiding those displaced in the civil war triggered by the coup.

This year, analysts say authorities have allowed Suu Kyi increasing — albeit still extremely limited — contact with the outside world in a bid to shake off their pariah status abroad.

Last week, there were two rare updates on Suu Kyi.

On Monday, authorities in Myanmar said she received a package from Britain’s King Charles, including two books about soil and a “sealed diplomatic communication” from the monarch.

Her UK-based son Kim Aris was then allowed a 20-minute consular phone call with her last Thursday, their first spoken communication in more than half a decade.

He told AFP his mother sounded “fairly healthy” but he feared she was being used as a pawn to improve the public image of those detaining her.

The Philippines requested “brief access” for Lazaro to meet Suu Kyi in April, after authorities said she was moved from prison to house arrest.

In August, when she met Myanmar’s senior Red Cross official, they made a renewed call for access.