Myanmar to be Visited by ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly, Says BKSAP Chairperson

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - The Committee on Political Matters of the ASEAN Inter-Parliamentary Assembly (AIPA) is planning to visit Myanmar to review the condition of people, stated Chairperson of the House of Representatives' (DPR's) Inter-Parliamentary Cooperation Agency (BKSAP) Fadli Zon.

"Maybe later we can also come there to see first-hand what happened there, like some kind of special envoy from the parliaments," he said in a statement received on Friday, August 11, 2023.

Zon noted that the Committee on Political Matters of the 44th AIPA General Assembly, which was held in Jakarta, has agreed on the formation of a team to monitor peace efforts in Myanmar, including the implementation of ASEAN's five-point consensus.

He explained that the plan of sending special envoys is similar to the dispatching of a task force by the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) to monitor the condition of people affected by the Russia-Ukraine conflict in both countries.

However, he noted that sending special envoys from AIPA to Myanmar has not yet become an official decision because it is still being debated by AIPA members of parliament.

He expressed the hope that AIPA will agree to send special envoys as part of ASEAN parliaments' efforts to play a more significant role in supporting an inclusive dialogue for reconciliation in Myanmar.

The BKSAP chairperson said that, by sending the special envoys, AIPA would be considered to have contributed further to the resolution of conflict in Myanmar as it would see the impacts of the crisis in the country first-hand.

Apart from agreeing to form a monitoring team to achieve peace in Myanmar, the AIPA Committee on Political Matters also produced six draft resolutions, of which two were proposals from Indonesia.

The first is a "Resolution on Maintaining Regional Peace, Security, and Stability through Dialogue and Collaboration," while the second is a "Resolution on Parliamentary Cooperation in Contributing to Long-Lasting Peace in Myanmar."

The 44th AIPA General Assembly was held in Jakarta from August 7–9, 2023, with the theme "Responsive Parliaments for a Stable and Prosperous ASEAN."

ANTARA

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