MFA Press Release: Comments by Minister for Foreign Affairs George Yeo to the media after the meeting of the Group of Friends on Myanmar at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, 23 September 2009

Singapore welcomes the shift in position by the US and Europe - the decision to engage Myanmar while keeping sanctions in place for the time being. We believe this would enable the US and Europe to have more influence in the political evolution of the country. All of us were insistent on the release of Aung San Suu Kyi and holding the Myanmar government to their commitment to have free, fair and credible elections in 2010. At the same time, many of us recognise that our engagement with Myanmar must take a longer term view beyond 2010. Singapore sees the army as being part of the problem but also as a necessary part of the solution. In the end, what is required is a process of national reconciliation. It will take time. The 7-point roadmap will reach its final point in 2010, but the evolution of the political process of Myanmar will go beyond that. The army, Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, the NLD and the various ethnic groups must all be a part of that longer term evolution of Myanmar society.

I thought that we had a very good discussion. We affirmed the importance of the good offices of the UN. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's visit to the country a few months ago led to some good being achieved. He was disappointed that he could not meet Aung San Suu Kyi at the time. But since then, a number of developments have taken place including the visit of Senator Jim Webb. Recently, the Myanmar Foreign Minister was allowed to visit Washington. He made a point while he was there to visit some of the monuments and emblems of democracy. I believe he was sending a signal. In the same way, the participation of (Myanmar PM) Thein Sein in the UN General Assembly is another signal that they are sending. A doffing of the hat, both to Washington and the UN. We should welcome this. I believe that the statement made by Secretary Clinton is a positive move in the right direction. We also emphasised the importance of Professor Gambari continuing with his good offices and going back to Myanmar at an early date. A likely visit by Special Envoy Fassino from the (European) Commission, not as a special envoy but as a representative of the European Commission would also lead to some good.

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