Myanmar briefly mentioned as a crisis of concern as Quad winds up New Delhi meeting

Mizzima

A meeting of Quad foreign ministers in New Delhi on 26 May included a brief mention of the crisis that has engulfed Myanmar since the 2021 military coup.

A statement was released by the Foreign Minister of Australia, the External Affairs Minister of India, the Foreign Minister of Japan, and the Secretary of State of the United States of America on the occasion of the Quad Foreign Ministers’ Meeting in New Delhi, India.

In their statement, they mentioned a number of issues of concern at this juncture.

“We convene at a time of not only great challenges, but also unprecedented opportunities. In the midst of conflicts, geopolitical tensions, and strains on global supply chains, we reaffirm that peace, stability, and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific hinges on upholding international law, and the peaceful resolution of disputes. We reaffirm our commitment to defending the rule of law, sovereignty, and territorial integrity. We recognize the immense potential of innovation, emerging technologies, and trusted partnerships to drive economic prosperity across the Indo-Pacific and beyond. We strongly oppose any destabilizing or unilateral actions that seek to change the status quo, including by force or coercion, which escalate tensions and undermine regional peace and stability,” the statement said.

With regards to Myanmar, they had the following to say:

“We remain concerned by the continuing conflict in Myanmar and its impact on the region. We reaffirm our support for ASEAN’s efforts and call for the immediate cessation of violence; the release of those unjustly detained; a conducive environment for the delivery of humanitarian assistance; and dialogue between all parties and affected groups involved in the conflict. We are also concerned about the impact of the crisis on regional security and the spread of transnational crimes.”

In addition, they mentioned a scourge affecting Myanmar and the South East Asia region:

“The Quad remains deeply concerned about the proliferation of online scam centers within Southeast Asia and surrounding regions which are linked to the spread of other transnational crime, including trafficking in persons, drug trafficking, sexual extortion, illicit financing, and other forms of cybercrime. We will deepen cooperation, particularly law enforcement and regulatory engagement including strengthening partners’ ability to combat online scam centers and associated transnational organized crime.”

One Burmese analyst, James Shwe, commenting on the Quad meeting, noted that Burmese people have been calling for action over the Myanmar crisis, including a restoration of democracy, stopping the violence and the release of the unlawfully arrested. He noted that over 60 CSOs sent a letter to the Quad meeting calling on the ministers to take action.