Jokowi Says Peace Efforts In Myanmar Take Long Time

President Jokowi/PHOTO via Instagram @jokowi

JAKARTA - President Joko Widodo (Jokowi) said the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)'s efforts to help restore peace and stability in Myanmar would take a long time.

"But it's okay if we have to keep fighting," said Jokowi when delivering a press statement on the closing of the 43rd ASEAN Summit in Jakarta, Thursday reported by ANTARA, Thursday, September 7.

Nevertheless, Jokowi emphasized that ASEAN would not be held hostage by the Myanmar issue.

"The ASEAN ship must continue to advance to realize peace, realize stability, realize prosperity," said President Jokowi.

In this summit, ASEAN leaders agreed to continue their efforts in solving the political crisis in Myanmar, one of which was by forming a troika between the chairmanship of the current year, along with the chairmanship of the year before, and the chairmanship of the following year.

The mechanism will only begin to be implemented next year when the chairman of Laos, who will be accompanied by Indonesia (pre-chairman) and Malaysia (next chairman), is to ensure the sustainability of handling the Myanmar issue through the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus (5PC).

The consensus includes mentioning the national inclusive dialogue that must be built and led by the people of Myanmar (Myanmar-signed and Myanmar-led mechanism) as an effort to resolve the crisis, which was triggered by a military coup against Myanmar's elected government on February 1, 2021.

During nine months of carrying out his duties as chairman of ASEAN, Indonesia recorded progress by making 145 approaches with around 70 stakeholders related to the crisis in Myanmar to help create an inclusive dialogue.

"We see that trust has begun to emerge between stakeholders, and we will continue this (approximation process)," said President Jokowi.