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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011814

MANILA, Philippines — The Senate blue ribbon committee on Tuesday accused President Rodrigo Duterte of complicity in “one of the biggest plunders of the Philippines’ coffers in recent history” that involved his friends and appointees in the government’s multibillion-peso pandemic supply deals with Pharmally Pharmaceutical Corp. in 2020 and 2021.

The panel chaired by Sen. Richard Gordon said Duterte “must be held accountable” for betrayal of public trust, a ground for impeachment that was not specifically recommended in his committee’s report.

Gordon’s committee released its partial report recommending criminal charges, such as graft and plunder, against several people, including Health Secretary Francisco Duque III, the president’s close Chinese friend and former Presidential Economic Adviser Michael Yang, former Budget Undersecretary Lloyd Christopher Lao, and several Pharmally executives.

“The nation has been betrayed. While millions are unemployed, have become poorer and hungrier, are desperate even for just a glimmer of hope, what this administration has done is to exacerbate the already execrable and hopeless state the people are all in. None can be more unforgivable,” the report said.

The Senate panel has been investigating allegations of corruption in the P11.5 billion worth of contracts for pandemic supplies won by Pharmally, most of which was coursed through the Procurement Service of the Department of Budget and Management (PS-DBM) then headed by Lao.

The committee said the acts of “malfeasance, misfeasance, and/or non-feasance” by government officials in cahoots with Pharmally officers were consummated “under the nose of the President.”

“The amounts involved in the dirty transactions were enormous, producing a stench that would have been impossible to ignore in Malacañang,” it said.

“The President as Chief Executive should have known what his appointees and friends were doing,” the Gordon panel said.

“If he did not know prior to the Senate investigation, then it certainly came to his attention when the hearings were underway, and instead of investigating the matter or supporting any such investigation, he chose to defend and protect those closest to him who had dipped their fingers into the coffers of the nation,” it added.

A digital copy of the committee report’s executive summary was provided to Senate reporters on Tuesday night, but the full report was not immediately accessible.

Graft, estafa

It endorsed plunder cases against Duque, Lao, and Overall Deputy Ombudsman Warren Rex Liong, who used to be a director at the PS-DBM.

Plunder charges were also recommended against Pharmally executives led by its Singaporean president and chair Huang Tzu Yen and Filipino executives Linconn Ong, Mohit Dargani, Twinkle Dargani, and Krizle Grace Mago; Yang, who is based in Davao City and was said to be Pharmally’s guarantor and financier; and his close associate Lin Weixiong.

The panel recommended graft and corruption charges against all of them.

It also recommended estafa or fraud charges against Mago and Mohit Dargani; frauds against the public treasury and similar offenses against Lao and Liong; perjury against Yang, Ong, Mago, Mohit Dargani, and Lin’s wife, Rose Nono Lin.

Liong, Jorge Mendoza, and Mervin Ian Tanquintic were also liable for falsification of public documents for their admission that the PS-DBM approved inspection reports even before the delivery of China-made medical supplies.

Alleged offenses

The report also sought Yang’s deportation over his alleged offenses, including tax evasion, and his declaration as an undesirable alien for immediate deportation.

The report enumerated alleged offenses committed by the President:

• The appointment of Yang, a foreign national, as his “economic adviser” in 2018, which allowed the businessman to introduce many Chinese suppliers that transacted with the government and “in the process enriched himself immensely.”

• Accepting an undercapitalized corporation owned by a Taiwanese fugitive (Pharmally’s Huang) with proven ties to Yang.

• Seeking to discredit the Commission on Audit (COA) which had flagged the anomalous transaction and making threats to prevent it from functioning.

• Trying to discredit the credibility of the Senate by “publicly attacking, maligning and disrespecting” a coequal branch of government.

• Ordering the issuance of a “patently illegal” memorandum preventing his Cabinet members and other officials from attending Senate hearings.

• Refusing to run after his appointees despite calls from the public and the Senate to compel their attendance in the hearings and failing to hold them accountable for “one of the biggest plunders of the Philippines’ coffers in recent history.”

“The most troubling question remains—why was the President so quick to defend those closest to him once their names were linked to the anomaly and then so eager to discredit the Senate investigation, prevent his appointees from cooperating, and absolve them of any liability?” the report said.

President’s behavior

“Unfortunately, based on the President’s own behavior, one cannot help but conclude that he was aware of, allowed, and condoned the misdeeds of his closest associates and appointees,” it said. “For this, he must be held accountable.”

There was no immediate comment from Malacañang.

Duque told the Inquirer that the report still had to be affirmed by the entire committee.

“Nevertheless, if the blue ribbon adopts the recommendation, we will wait for the action of the appropriate tribunal,” he said.

He promised that “we will fully cooperate” with the court process “as we have nothing to hide.” “It is unfortunate that the panel turned a blind eye to the truth that was revealed during the Senate blue ribbon hearing that all procurements for the country’s COVID-19 response were made through the PS-DBM, the agency purposely tasked to undertake such activities. We at the DOH were not part of the activity as we were focused on the medical side of the pandemic response,” said

The Senate investigation was triggered by the transfer of about P42 billion in the Department of Health’s pandemic response funds, which was flagged by the COA for lack of supporting documents.

The Gordon panel had also unearthed several alleged irregularities, including findings that some batches of the face shields procured from Pharmally were substandard, had tampered production dates, COVID-19 test kits nearly expired when delivered and falsified inspection reports of the goods, among others.

Pharmally grabbed the single biggest chunk of contracts despite having a paid-up capital of only P650,000.

By: DJ Yap

Published : February 02, 2022

By : Philippine Daily Inquirer

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011813

Celebrations for the Chinese Lunar New Year are underway across the world as people from various cultures come together to usher in the Year of the Tiger, which starts on Tuesday.

The Chinese New Year is based on a 12-year Zodiac cycle of animals. In Europe, British people welcomed the Chinese Lunar New Year with a day of celebration at the National Maritime Museum in London on Saturday.

Lion dance, tai chi demonstrations, printing workshops, fanmaking, and other fantastic performances and activities designed for all ages attracted many local families to visit and enjoy the festive mood of the Spring Festival. A Chinese New Year photo exhibition was opened in Sofia, Bulgaria, on Friday featuring 65 photos, which show how Chinese people celebrate the traditional holiday.

As Australia’s largest city Sydney prepares to celebrate the festival, the streets and laneways of Chinatown are being transformed into an immersive artwork for the Year of the Tiger.

Chinatown is buzzing with cultural performances, market stalls, DJs, food trucks, and lion dancers on Saturday.

In the United States, from lion dances to kung fu demonstrations, folk music performances, lantern exhibitions, street fairs and screening of Chinese movies, organizers across the country are going all out to spread joy and provide people with unique cultural experiences of this festival.

“The Chinese New Year is one of the most significant holidays on the calendar, and so we think it is important that The Huntington celebrate the holiday, bringing people together to learn and enjoy,” Sian Adams, strategic initiatives director of The Huntington, told China Daily.

The California-based institution is treating visitors to a series of programs on Feb 5 and 6, including performances of scenes from The Peony Pavilion, a mask-changing show, lion dances, traditional arts, music and martial arts. The Huntington has been celebrating the Chinese New Year since the early 2000s.

“People have been so excited to be immersed in learning and experiencing the Chinese culture through performances, exhibits, and demonstrations. Everyone is appreciative, and the expressions of happiness on the faces of young and old alike, in celebrating the Chinese New Year, say it all,” said Pamela Garrison, The Huntington’s manager for membership events.

After a hiatus last year due to COVID-19, many museums, cultural institutions and shopping centers in New York City are bringing back in-person celebrations to ring in the Chinese New Year.

The New York Chinese Cultural Center is one of them.

“For Lunar New Year, we go out to local communities to celebrate this festive holiday. We share Chinese performing and visual arts to support Asian communities and help build cross-cultural understanding across communities,” said Yen Ying, its executive director.

In collaboration with organizations such as the US Postal Service, artists from the center will put together ribbon dances and calligraphy demonstrations throughout January and February.

San Francisco’s Golden State Warriors ushered in the Year of the Tiger when it faced the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday. Fans were entertained with martial arts and tai chi demonstrations. San Francisco native and former Miss Chinatown Desiree Choy also sang the national anthem.

Chinese New Year celebrations are also happening in cities such as Washington, Chicago, Philadelphia, Seattle, Boston and Las Vegas.

By LIU YINMENG, Xinhua contributed to this story.

Published : February 02, 2022

By : China Daily

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011812

The National Defense and Security Council (NDSC) convened and extended the state of emergency for six months, announced the National Defense and Security Council on January 31 with Proclamation No. 1/2022.

The meeting of the NDSC was held on January 31 at 9:30 am.

At the meeting, Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said that it was necessary to set a right track for the genuine, disciplined multi-party democracy and continuously carry out holding of the multi-party democracy general election in accord with  Section 429 of the 2008 Constitution of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar due to situations on political, economic and social progress, emphasis on stability of the State, peace and tranquility, desires of internal and external saboteurs and their supporter persons and organizations leading to the utter devastation rather than the democracy based on overview remarks over the current situations,  terror attacks and destructions in some parts of Chin State and Sagaing Region at present, and needs to appoint ward and village administrators in some townships of the country after the State of Emergency was politically declared across the nation. As such, the Senior General submitted a report to extend the declared period for the State of Emergency across the nation in accord with Section 425 of the 2008 Constitution.

Members of the NDSC seconded the submissions of the Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services. Then, all members of the NDSC, including the Acting President, unanimously decided to extend the state of emergency for six months in accordance with Article 425 of the 2008 Constitution, according to a statement from the NDSC.

Acting President U Myint Swe, Speaker of the Pyithu Hluttaw U T Khun Myat, Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, Deputy Commander-in-Chief of the Defence Services Vice-Senior General Soe Win, Union Minister for Defense Gen. Mya Tun Oo; Union Minister for Foreign Affairs U Wunna Maung Lwin, Union Minister for Home Affairs Lt-Gen Soe Htut and Union Minister for Border Affairs Lt-Gen Tun Tun Naung attended the meeting.

Published : February 02, 2022

By : Eleven Media

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011806

Moving capitals is not necessarily a good move. There have been stories of reasonable successes, but equally as many failures.

KUALA LUMPUR – For better or worse, it is really happening. The House of Representatives passed on Tuesday the state capital bill into law that will provide a legal basis for the government’s plan to relocate the capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan.

The law, which has undergone speedy deliberation lasting less than four months, gives the green light to President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo’s ambitious plan, which is expected to cost US$32 billion, and which has been met with scepticism.

Yet, the former mayor of Surakarta, Central Java, who built brick-by-brick his national-level political clout in Jakarta has remained undeterred.

With strong support from the international community—ranging from Japanese conglomerate Softbank to the United Arab Emirates—the President now can begin construction of the new capital, which may not be ready when he completes his term in 2024.

There was much doubt when Jokowi first announced his vision just after he secured his second term in 2019. The project is not like any other. It was not like when Malaysia moved its seat of government from Kuala Lumpur to Putrajaya, which is only about 34 kilometres away. Or other instances of capital city swapping in other countries, which mostly involve the same landmass.

Moving the capital from Jakarta to East Kalimantan may bring about not only political and administrative transformations but also cultural ones. Jakarta has been the centre of government and business since even before Indonesia’s independence. It has faced wars and revolutions that have made Indonesia what it is today and the embodiment of the superiority of Java over other islands in the country.

While people blame much of the inequality in wealth and development between Java and the rest of the country on the centralized government of the Soeharto era, the development and decentralization system that was established in the ashes of the country’s longest presidential regime has not changed the fact that Indonesia is still Java-centric.

According to the latest census in 2020, Java is home to 152 million people, or around 56 per cent of the country’s population, as against the 6.15 per cent who live in Kalimantan, the Indonesian part of Borneo Island, which will host the new capital. This is despite Kalimantan being four times larger than Java.

With such a large demographic advantage, Java controls about 59 per cent of the country’s gross domestic product according to Statistics Indonesia in 2020.

East Kalimantan, however, is indeed among the provinces with the highest gross regional domestic product (GRDP) per capita at Rp 125 million (US$8,708), second only to Jakarta at Rp 170 million. The population of East Kalimantan is 3.7 million, about a third of Jakarta’s.

National Development Planning Agency head Suharso Monoarfa has said Jokowi chose Nusantara as the name of the new capital that will occupy an area between North Penajem Paser and Kutai Kartanegara regencies.

With floods and deforestation endemic to the area and the lack of infrastructure that Kalimantan has at the moment, there is no guarantee that the new capital will become a better capital city of Indonesia.

But for now, the new capital plan allows Indonesian people to dream of a new future outside of Java.

Johan Jaffar

The Star

Published : February 01, 2022

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011770

Business operators from Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Myanmar are now using the Laos-China Railway to import and export goods to and from China and beyond.

Vice President of the Lao National Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Mr Daovone Phachanthavong, told Vientiane Times that more goods are being shipped between China and Asean member countries through the railway.

“I think Laos’ economy will improve this year now that the Laos-China Railway is in use. Businesses in Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia and Myanmar are increasingly engaged in trade with China using the railway,” he said.

“I have been hired to transport goods between China and these four Asean countries. In addition, many people in Asean countries, particularly Thailand, want to travel on the railway and visit Vangvieng and Luang Prabang once the Covid-19 outbreak has subsided.”

“I am sure that when the pandemic wanes and travel restrictions are lifted, many Chinese people will also visit Laos and other Asean countries, and will use the railway, which will directly benefit hotels, restaurants and other businesses in the hospitality sector,” Mr Daovone said.

Thailand recently exported its first shipment of 1,000 tonnes of rice to Chongqing in China using the Laos-China Railway.

Adviser to the Thai agriculture minister, Alongkorn Polabutr, was quoted in the Bangkok Post as saying that the Thai government was looking into exporting fruit, orchids, rubber, cassava, palm oil and fishery and livestock products by the new rail route.

Opening for service in December, the Laos-China Railway has opened up the possibility of extending export routes to Central Asia, the Middle East, Russia and Europe.

“Many companies are considering investing in Laos because goods from Asean countries can now be sent to Europe through the Laos-China Railway,” Mr Daovone said.

“Rice and coffee from Laos have been shipped to Europe by rail, which saves a lot of time compared to sea transport.”

Shipment of goods from the Asean bloc to Europe by rail will take just over 10 days, which is much quicker than transport by sea, which takes about 45 days. According to The Loadstar, using the Laos-China Railway for Chengdu-Bangkok cargo would be 78 percent cheaper and two days faster than air, Kuala Lumpur-Chengdu would be 70 percent cheaper with the same transit time, and Shanghai-Singapore would be 38 percent cheaper, but four days longer.

The Laos-China Railway has so far transported more than 1 million passengers and 500,000 tonnes of cargo including 100,000 tonnes of cross-border goods since it became operational in December, according to Xinhua report. The Thai government has ordered the State Railway of Thailand to design and build a new bridge that will connect Nong Khai province to the railway in Vientiane.

By Somsack Pongkhao

Published : February 01, 2022

By : Vientiane Times

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011769

HÀ NỘI — Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyễn Văn Hùng has just submitted a proposed plan to the Government for reopening international tourism in safe and effective manner.

According to the plan, after the first pilot period for receiving international tourists, the second phase will last from now until March 30, 2022, with the number of eligible localities in the programme extended to all those who have completed coverage of COVID-19 vaccine booster shots and with contained outbreak (green zone, as per the health ministry’s outbreak assessment criteria).

This is a huge step up from the currently five localities of Phú Quốc Island (Kiên Giang Province in the southern region), Quảng Nam, Đà Nẵng, and Khánh Hoà in the central region, and Quảng Ninh in the northern region, with HCM City and Bình Định soon to join the list.

COVID-19 testing can be conducted at the accommodation sites, with no discrimination between domestic and international tourists, and no time restrictions imposed.

From March 31, 2022, Việt Nam will be fully open to international tourism, with inbound and outbound tourists welcomed at all international border gates.

The tourists accepted into Việt Nam must be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 (with certificates) at least 14 days before entry, or have proof of recovery from COVID-19 within six months prior to entry. (There will be separate requirements for partially vaccinated or young children).

They will also need a negative PCR-RT COVID-19 tests taken 72 hours prior to entry, and purchase health insurance with COVID-19 treatment coverage with minimum value of US$50,000.

All eligible hospitality businesses as per current regulations are allowed to participate in reception of international tourists.

The end of first quarter was chosen as Việt Nam seeks to wrap up administration of booster shots to all adults, and any later date would reduce the attractiveness of Việt Nam as a tourist destination given that many countries in the region are also planning to reopen soon to restore international tourism, explained the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

The upcoming two months would provide ample time for relevant ministries and authorities to adjust the regulations and issue appropriate guidance, and for tourism businesses to carry out advertisements and PR campaigns and travel promotion programmes, and prepare for reception of international tourists during peak season.

May is also when Việt Nam is scheduled to host the 2021 Southeast Asia Games (SEA Games 31), and the early announcement of reopening will contribute to the tourist draw, especially from countries in ASEAN with relatively high vaccination rates. — VNS

Published : February 01, 2022

By : Vietnam News

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011768

SINGAPORE – Students embarking on overseas programmes planned by their universities in Singapore must be fully vaccinated and have parental consent.

The local institutions said those going abroad are covered by student travel insurance policies and the coverage includes expenses for Covid-19 medical treatment.

A National University of Singapore (NUS) spokesman said it conducts pre-departure briefings for students to ensure they are aware of current developments in the country and partner university they are heading to.

“They must also complete and pass a compulsory travel preparedness module, and submit a risk acknowledgement and consent form signed by their parent or guardian,” she added.

“Prior to their departure, they will need to e-register with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and upload their travel itinerary onto the International SOS portal, so that support can be swiftly provided if the need arises,” she said.

The overseas programmes of all universities in Singapore were suspended from March 2020 because of Covid-19. NUS resumed student exchanges in January this year and some 1,000 students will be travelling this semester.

The spokesman said NUS will continue to closely monitor the Covid-19 pandemic situation worldwide as it remains volatile. Programmes will be adjusted accordingly, in line with prevailing guidelines and travel advisories from the authorities.

A Singapore Management University (SMU) spokesman said its students’ health and safety are its top priority, and they are allowed to travel only to countries deemed safe by the Health Ministry at the time of travel.

“The university has made provision for all students embarking on overseas travel to be able to utilise the International SOS’ global assistance programme,” she added.

About 450 students from SMU are going on exchange this semester, with some flying out as early as last December.

Professor Tan Ooi Kiang, deputy provost for education at Nanyang Technological University (NTU), said students are required to attend pre-departure briefings and complete risk assessment modules.

NTU will be gradually resuming its exchange programmes in the new academic year starting in August.

A spokesman for the Singapore Institute of Technology said it is working with its overseas university partners to ensure that contingency measures are in place to cater to students in case they are infected while abroad. These include quarantine and hospitalisation protocols, as well as lesson continuity via virtual platforms. 

Its students are expected to start travelling from the first quarter of this year.

Some universities added that they are still relying on remote means of conducting certain programmes.

The SMU spokesman said it plans to continue with virtual internships this year, to allow students the flexibility of working with international companies without taking on the risk of travel and uncertain border control situations.

“Beyond the pandemic, we are keen to continue to offer virtual internships due to their strong learning outcomes arising from working with cross-cultural teams. This form of internship also allows students to work with firms in countries where internship visas are typically harder to obtain,” she added.

SMU is tentatively hoping to resume students’ community service work overseas in December this year. In the meantime, students will continue to support overseas beneficiaries virtually, such as through academic and enrichment programmes and skills training.

Published : February 01, 2022

By : The Straits Times

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TOKYO (Jiji Press) — An F-15 fighter jet of the Air Self-Defense Force’s Komatsu air base in central Japan is believed to have crashed into the sea during a training flight on Monday due to some problem, the Defense Ministry said.

Soon after taking off from the base, the aircraft disappeared off the radar around 5:30 p.m. at a point over the Sea of Japan about 5 kilometers west-northwest of the base in Komatsu, Ishikawa Prefecture.

The ASDF, in cooperation with the Japan Coast Guard, searched the area and discovered a section of the aircraft body and a fragment of the pilot’s life-saving equipment, according to the ministry. The ministry concluded that the F-15 jet is likely to have crashed.

The aircraft’s two crew members are unaccounted for.

There is no report of damage to fishing boats, the ministry said.

According to the ministry, the F-15 belongs to the Komatsu base’s tactical fighter training group.

Around 5:30 p.m., the Kanazawa Coast Guard Office in Ishikawa received a report that a red light had been seen offshore, according to the 9th Regional Coast Guard Headquarters.

The F-15 is the ASDF’s mainstay fighter jet. The tactical fighter training group, known as the aggressor unit, is staffed by elite pilots and plays the enemy role in training for ASDF units across Japan.

The ASDF’s F-15 fleet has experienced accidents in the past.

In July 2011, an F-15 plane of the Naha air base in Okinawa Prefecture, southern Japan, crashed during a training flight above the East China Sea, leaving the pilot dead. In September 2008, an F-15 plane of the Tsuiki air base in Fukuoka Prefecture, southwestern Japan, plunged into the Sea of Japan off neighboring Yamaguchi Prefecture, but no one was injured.

Published : February 01, 2022

By : The Japan News

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011766

North Korea announced on Monday it had employed a Hwasong-12 intermediate-range ballistic missile in its test a day earlier.

“The test-fire of Hwasong 12-type ground-to-ground intermediate and long-range ballistic missile was conducted under a plan of the Academy of Defense Science, the Second Economy Commission and other related institutions,” said the North‘s official Korean Central News Agency. 

“The launch was to verify the overall accuracy of the weapon system. It confirmed the accuracy, security and effectiveness of the operation of the Hwasong 12-type weapon system.“

In its seventh show of force this year, the recalcitrant regime launched the Hwasong 12-type missile, just days ahead of the Beijing Olympics and despite dialogue overtures by Seoul and Washington. North Korean leader Kim Jong-un did not oversee the firing.

The missile flew around 800 kilometers at a top altitude of 2 km, the Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement. 

It is estimated to travel between 4,500-5,000 km if it’s launched at an angle of 30 to 45 degrees, South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement.

Given that the distance from Pyongyang to a key US military outpost Guam is about 3,400 km, the latest test-firing signals the regime’s capacity to develop weapon system to threaten US territories.

The Hwasong-12 IRBM was first shown during North Korea’s military parade in April 2017. While South Korea’s military classifies ballistic missiles with a range of 3,000 to 5,500 km as intermediate-range missiles, North Korea expresses them as intermediate and long-range ballistic missile.

By Choi Jae-hee

Published : February 01, 2022

By : The Korea Herald

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https://www.nationthailand.com/international/40011760

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat, initially scheduled for January 18-19, will now be held on February 16-17. Cambodia’s top diplomat said.

PHNOM PENH – Cambodia’s top diplomat Prak Sokhonn has confirmed that the ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat will resume on February 16-17 and that he is preparing for his first visit to Myanmar in his capacity as the bloc’s special envoy.

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat, initially scheduled for January 18-19, was recently postponed with the rapid spread of the Omicron coronavirus variant cited as the reason.

Sokhonn announced the new date for the retreat during his virtual meeting with UN Security Council (UNSC) president Mona Juul on January 28.

During the meeting, Sokhonn briefed Juul on the January 7-8 visit by Prime Minister Hun Sen to Myanmar, saying it was meant to re-engage Naypyidaw in dialogue and find ways forward in the implementation of the ASEAN five-point consensus (5PC).

The visit was also aimed at ending violence and extending truce by all parties in order to build trust and create a conducive environment for inclusive dialogue. It was also meant to pave the way for the safe and speedy delivery of humanitarian relief to the people of Myanmar.

“[Hun Sen’s] visit to Naypyidaw was an ice-breaking mission. It was aimed at building trust, confidence and understanding and it can certainly act as a stepping stone for further progress,” Sokhonn said.

“He [Hun Sen] went there to plant trees for peace and reconciliation. Time, patience and pragmatism are needed before anyone could harvest the fruits,” Sokhonn said, adding that all actions will be guided by the 5PC and the ASEAN Charter.

Sokhonn said that as the ASEAN special envoy on Myanmar, he was preparing for his first visit there — one of his priorities in ensuring the implementation of the 5PC.

He noted that the implementation of the 5PC will be further discussed during the coming private ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Retreat, in the lead-up to a multi-stakeholder consultative meeting on humanitarian assistance to Myanmar.

The humanitarian assistance will be supported by the ASEAN Secretariat and the UN special envoy on Myanmar. The assistance will also be made through all pragmatic humanitarian approaches from local, regional and international humanitarian experts and agencies to facilitate its speedy delivery, the ministry said.

Separately, The Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation Prak Sokhonn is set to attend a ministerial-level forum on Indo-Pacific cooperation scheduled for February 22. The meeting will be hosted by France under its presidency of the European Council.

Sokhonn was invited by French foreign minister Jean-Yves Le Drian during their telephone conversation on January 27.

“[Prak Sokhonn] promised to attend the important meeting in person in the French capital Paris,” the ministry said in a press statement.

The French foreign minister briefed Sokhonn that the meeting will be attended by foreign ministers of the 27 EU member states, commissioners and representatives of the EU in charge of foreign and security policy.

“[Prak Sokhonn] has been invited to hold an open speech in the above-mentioned meeting on behalf of the ASEAN chair,” the statement said.

The ministry said Prak Sokhonn and the top French diplomat also touched on the Myanmar issue and the recent visit of Prime Minister Hun Sen to Myanmar, among others.

Mom Kunthear

The Phnom Penh Post

Published : January 31, 2022