Transcript of Minister for Foreign Affairs Dr Vivian Balakrishnan's Doorstop Interview at the Extended Informal Consultation on Myanmar in Bangkok, Thailand, 12 July 2026

Minister Vivian Balakrishnan: Well, we just had a very good meeting. This was an Informal Meeting of the ASEAN Foreign Ministers with Myanmar on the situation in Myanmar. The most important point was that we all reaffirmed the central importance of the Five Point Consensus (5PC) - it was and it remains valid. The next point is that all of us want to see demonstrable progress, specifically in three areas: one, the permanent cessation of violence, especially against civilians; two, the release of all political detainees, including Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; and three, for the ASEAN Humanitarian Centre [ASEAN Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management] to be able to deliver assistance across the country, wherever it is needed, regardless of political allegiance. So let’s hope we will see some response and some progress in the next few months. We will have to wait and see.

May Wong (Straits Times): Minister, you have always been very vocal about not having Myanmar return to the table unless they have fulfilled the 5PC. Now we know that the parliamentarians in Myanmar have rejected and called this 5PC irrelevant.

Minister: The parliamentarians are entitled to their opinion, but what I am stating for the record is that ASEAN’s position is that the 5PC was and is a consensus and applies.

Straits Times: How dangerous of a precedent is ASEAN really setting by inviting Myanmar back before they even show progress?

Minister: The point is that we are trying to engage with all stakeholders and that includes the military authorities in Nay Pyi Taw, and we are also engaging a wide variety of EAOs (Ethnic Armed Organisations) and the PDF (People’s Defence Force). It is a very complicated situation in Myanmar. The key point is ASEAN wants to engage across the board, widely and in an inclusive manner. So that is the context in which today’s meeting has occurred.

Straits Times: You have managed to get what you needed from the Myanmar representative today?

Minister: We have been able to convey what we hope they will be able to deliver. Only time will tell.

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MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS

SINGAPORE

12 JULY 2026