S. Korea welcomes appointment of ASEAN envoy to crisis-laden Myanmar

SEOUL, Aug. 5 (Yonhap) -- South Korea welcomes the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) appointment of a special envoy to Myanmar, the foreign ministry said Thursday, voicing hope for the regional bloc's "constructive" role in addressing the political turmoil in the country.

ASEAN foreign ministers have named Brunei's second foreign minister, Erywan Yusof, as the envoy charged with helping promote dialogue among all concerned parties and stop violence in Myanmar.

Mynamar has been in the throes of upheaval since the military's power grab in February unseated then State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi and other civilian leaders in what critics say was a retreat in the country's transition toward democracy.

"Our government welcomes the appointment of the second foreign minister, Erywan Yusof, as a special envoy," Choi Young-sam, spokesperson for the foreign ministry, told a regular press briefing.

"Our government actively supports ASEAN's constructive role in addressing the Myanmar situation and will continue to explore ways for our government to contribute to that effort," he added.

Choi also expressed expectations that the special envoy will be able to visit Myanmar in the near future and that a five-point consensus reached at an ASEAN summit in April will be implemented in earnest.

The consensus calls for the immediate cessation of violence in Myanmar, as well as constructive dialogue among all parties concerned, to seek a peaceful solution in the interest of the people.

sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)