New Delhi [India], November 10 (ANI): Ahead of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankar’s official visit to Cambodia, the Ministry of External Affairs on Thursday extended its support to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN’s) five-point consensus and said that India would like to see the cessation of violence in Myanmar.
“On Myanmar, our position is quite clear. We support ASEAN’s five-point consensus. We would like to see Myanmar move towards a democratic government. We would like to see violence in Myanmar cease. This is broadly our policy,” Saurabh Kumar, Secretary (East), Ministry of External Affairs said while addressing a special press briefing.
“Essentially we would like ASEAN to take the initiative and we support the 5-point consensus that ASEAN is working on,” he added further.
The five-point consensus of ASEAN includes an immediate end to violence in the country; dialogue among all parties concerned; the appointment of a special envoy; provision of humanitarian aid to Myanmar by ASEAN and a visit by the bloc’s special envoy to Myanmar to meet with all parties as there has been a sharp surge in violence against civilians in Myanmar.
Responding to a media query on ASEAN’s Defense Ministers’ Meeting which is slated to take place on November 20, the Secretary (EAST) said that the meeting in this format will be taking place for the first time between the Defence Minister Rajnath Singh and ASEAN’s defence ministers, making it an important aspect.
“As far as the defense minister meeting with ASEAN is concerned following the ASEAN Defence Minister’s Meeting (ADMM) plus meeting, all the issues related to Defence cooperation and security will be discussed, and the details concerning the same will be given when the meeting will take place. The main point to be noted here is that This is for the first time that the meeting in this format between the Defence Minister of India EAN’s Defence Ministers, making it an important aspect,” he said.
Highlighting how India attaches great importance to the relationship with ASEAN, Saurabh Kumar underlined that however, in the past Prime Minister Modi has been participating in the summit engagements with the ASEAN but this time it has been decided that the Vice President would be going.
“We attach great importance to the relationship with ASEAN … As you know in the past PM was participating in the summit engagements with the ASEAN but this time it has been decided that the VP would be going,” Kumar said during the special MEA briefing on Thursday.
Notably, Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar will be visiting Cambodia from November 11-13 to participate in the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit and the 17th East Asia Summit.
Cambodia as the current Chair of ASEAN is hosting these Summits. Vice President will be accompanied by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar.
The Vice President will attend the ASEAN-India Commemorative Summit in Phnom Penh on November 12, 2022 whereas on November 13, 2022, Vice President will participate in the 17th East Asia Summit which comprises the ten ASEAN member states (i.e. Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam) and its eight dialogue partners- India, China, Japan, Republic of Korea, Australia, New Zealand, the United States and Russia, according to official release of MEA.
This year marks the 30th anniversary of ASEAN-India relations and is being celebrated as the ASEAN-India Friendship Year.
The ASEAN is considered one of the most influential groupings in the region. India and several other countries, including the U.S., China, Japan and Australia, are its dialogue partners.
India and the 10-nation grouping ASEAN have “strong convergence” on Indo-Pacific, combating the threat of terrorism and the developments in Ukraine and Myanmar. During his visit, Vice President will also have bilateral engagements with the Cambodian leadership. On the margins of the Summits, he will hold bilateral meetings with leaders from other countries as well. (ANI)