Thailand's foreign minister has confirmed that he met with Myanmar's jailed former leader Aung Sang Suu Kyi. The foreign minister met Suu Kyi at a prison annexe in the capital city of Naypyidaw. He said that Suu Kyi was in good health and the meeting was in line with ASEAN's plan to achieve peace in Myanmar.

Thai Foreign Minister meets Aung Sang Suu Kyi in jail

A Southeast Asian&nbsp;envoy&nbsp;said on Wednesday he had&nbsp;urged&nbsp;Myanmar's ruling&nbsp;military&nbsp;to show restraint during offensives and was told by the junta leader there would be no&nbsp;access&nbsp;to ousted leader Aung San&nbsp;Suu&nbsp;Kyi&nbsp;while her trial was ongoing.

Prak Sokhonn, special&nbsp;envoy&nbsp;for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said he sought the release of prisoners including Australian economist Sean Turnell, and junta boss Min Aung Hlaing told him he would consider a request to see&nbsp;Suu&nbsp;Kyi&nbsp;and other detainees in future.

Suu&nbsp;Kyi&nbsp;was overthrown by the&nbsp;military&nbsp;in a coup last year that sparked chaos and bloodshed in the country after a decade of tentative democratic reform.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/rohingya-in-bangladesh-cheer-us-decision-on-myanmar-genocide-465074">Rohingya in Bangladesh cheer US decision on Myanmar 'genocide'</a>

The Nobel laureate is on trial for more than a dozen offences including violating a state secrets act and multiple counts of corruption. She has been found guilty of several crimes already, but has rejected all charges.

Prak Sokhonn said he understood that critics viewed his trip to&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;this week as legitimising the junta. But he added he sees the two-day visit as a positive step towards resolving the crisis, which he said could not be done during Cambodia's ASEAN chairmanship this year.

"The&nbsp;Myanmar&nbsp;issue is complicated, it needs a long time to solve, we can't solve it during one chairmanship or the current chairmanship," he told reporters on his return to Cambodia.

"I know of various levels of expectations on the visit, I also know of people who want to see a ceasefire and me meeting all involved parties, and the return to normalcy of democracy," he said.

Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/south-asia/myanmar-military-junta-categorically-rejects-us-allegation-of-rohingya-genocide-464692">Myanmar military junta 'categorically rejects' US allegation of Rohingya genocide</a>

"I understand reasons behind criticism, they don't want me being giving legitimacy to the state councilors," he said, referring to the junta.

Prak Sokhonn's trip has frustrated opponents to&nbsp;Myanmar's junta because it was centred largely on the generals, with most meetings with other parties cancelled.

ASEAN&nbsp;has barred the generals&nbsp;from&nbsp;attending its summits until they see progress in a five-point "consensus" agreed last year to end the violence.

The United Nations last week said the army had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity and was deliberately targeting civilians. The&nbsp;military&nbsp;has yet to respond.

Watch |&nbsp;Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi faces new charge amid fresh violence

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A Southeast Asian envoy said on Wednesday he had urged Myanmar's ruling military to show restraint during offensives and was told by the junta leader there would be no access to ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi while her trial was ongoing.

A Southeast Asian envoy said on Wednesday he had urged Myanmar's ruling military to show restraint during offensives and was told by the junta leader there would be no access to ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi while her trial was ongoing. Prak Sokhonn, special envoy for the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), said he sought the release of prisoners including Australian economist Sean Turnell, and junta boss Min Aung Hlaing told him he would consider a request to see Suu Kyi and other detainees in future. Suu Kyi was overthrown by the military in a coup last year that sparked chaos and bloodshed in the country after a decade of tentative democratic reform. Also read | Rohingya in Bangladesh cheer US decision on Myanmar 'genocide' The Nobel laureate is on trial for more than a dozen offences including violating a state secrets act and multiple counts of corruption. She has been found guilty of several crimes already, but has rejected all charges. Prak Sokhonn said he understood that critics viewed his trip to Myanmar this week as legitimising the junta. But he added he sees the two-day visit as a positive step towards resolving the crisis, which he said could not be done during Cambodia's ASEAN chairmanship this year. "The Myanmar issue is complicated, it needs a long time to solve, we can't solve it during one chairmanship or the current chairmanship," he told reporters on his return to Cambodia. "I know of various levels of expectations on the visit, I also know of people who want to see a ceasefire and me meeting all involved parties, and the return to normalcy of democracy," he said. Also read | Myanmar military junta 'categorically rejects' US allegation of Rohingya genocide "I understand reasons behind criticism, they don't want me being giving legitimacy to the state councilors," he said, referring to the junta. Prak Sokhonn's trip has frustrated opponents to Myanmar's junta because it was centred largely on the generals, with most meetings with other parties cancelled. ASEAN has barred the generals from attending its summits until they see progress in a five-point "consensus" agreed last year to end the violence. The United Nations last week said the army had committed war crimes and crimes against humanity and was deliberately targeting civilians. The military has yet to respond. Watch | Myanmar leader Aung San Suu Kyi faces new charge amid fresh violence

ASEAN envoy says urged restraint from Myanmar military, discussed Aung San Suu Kyi access

From Aung Sang Suu Kyi to Omar al-Bashir: Fate of ousted leaders

Myanmar`s National Unity Government, set up by opponents of army rule, said on Wednesday it had formed a "people`s defence force" to protect its supporters from military attacks and violence instigated by the junta.

Since the military seized power and ousted an elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on February&nbsp;1, there have been daily protests and a surge of violence with security forces killing hundreds of civilians.

The National Unity Government said in a statement the new force was a precursor to a Federal Union Army and that it had a responsibility to "make effective reforms in the security sector in order to terminate the 70-year long civil war".

It also said it has a responsibility to deal with "the military attacks and violence from state administration council on the people”.

The unity government, established last month by an array of groups opposed to the junta, has pledged to end violence, restore democracy and build a "federal democratic union".

A spokesman for the junta did not answer a call seeking comment.

Myanmar was ruled by the military for nearly half a century from 1962 before the generals launched a tentative transition to democracy a decade ago.

That process was brought to a halt by the coup, to the anger of many people unwilling to put up with another phase of military rule.

The National Unity Government did not provide details of how the new force would be organised or armed, or how it would try to achieve its objectives. A spokesman for the unity government was not immediately available for comment.

Myanmar`s well-equipped army is one of the region`s most battle-hardened forces.

But despite that, opponents of the coup have in some places been using crude weapons to fight troops while others have sought training with ethnic minority insurgents who have been battling the military since independence in 1948 from remote border areas.

Myanmar has in recent weeks seen an increasing number of small blasts in cities and towns, some targeting government offices and military facilities.

There have been no claims of responsibility but the military has blamed people bent on destabilising the country.

Five people killed in an explosion this week, including a former member of parliament for Suu Kyi`s party, had been building a bomb, the state controlled Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported.

The newspaper said security forces had searched the scene of the Monday afternoon blast in the central Bago area and found wire, batteries and a damaged phone and phone parts.

The newspaper said the explosion of the "home-made mine" killed four men on the spot including a member of Suu Kyi`s National League for Democracy (NLD) while another man died of his injuries in hospital.

A spokesman for the NLD was not available for comment. Suu Kyi, 75, has been detained since the coup along with many members of her party.

The junta said it had to seize power because its complaints of fraud in a November election won by Suu Kyi`s party were not addressed by an election commission that deemed the vote fair.

The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) rights monitoring group says security forces have killed 766 people since the coup.

The junta disputes the AAPP figure and has banned the group. It acknowledged 248 deaths in mid-April and in addition says 24 police and soldiers have been killed in the protests.

Reuters is unable to verify casualties because of curbs placed on media by the junta. Many journalists areamong the thousands of people who have been detained.

The independent Tachileik news agency based in Shan State in the northeast said on Facebook its licence had been revoked, the latest of eight such news outlets to be shut under orders of the authorities.

Junta-controlled MRTV state television announced on Tuesday a ban on satellite television receivers, saying outside broadcasts threatened national security. It said anyone caught violating the ban risked jail.

With mobile internet access largely cut off in a bid to quell the anti-junta protests, Myanmar has increasingly appeared headed back to a state of isolation that preceded a decade of democratic reforms.

Myanmar`s National Unity Government, set up by opponents of army rule, said on Wednesday it had formed a "people`s defence force" to protect its supporters from military attacks and violence instigated by the junta.

Myanmar`s National Unity Government, set up by opponents of army rule, said on Wednesday it had formed a "people`s defence force" to protect its supporters from military attacks and violence instigated by the junta. Since the military seized power and ousted an elected government led by Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, there have been daily protests and a surge of violence with security forces killing hundreds of civilians. The National Unity Government said in a statement the new force was a precursor to a Federal Union Army and that it had a responsibility to "make effective reforms in the security sector in order to terminate the 70-year long civil war". It also said it has a responsibility to deal with "the military attacks and violence from state administration council on the people”. The unity government, established last month by an array of groups opposed to the junta, has pledged to end violence, restore democracy and build a "federal democratic union". A spokesman for the junta did not answer a call seeking comment. Myanmar was ruled by the military for nearly half a century from 1962 before the generals launched a tentative transition to democracy a decade ago. That process was brought to a halt by the coup, to the anger of many people unwilling to put up with another phase of military rule. The National Unity Government did not provide details of how the new force would be organised or armed, or how it would try to achieve its objectives. A spokesman for the unity government was not immediately available for comment. Myanmar`s well-equipped army is one of the region`s most battle-hardened forces. But despite that, opponents of the coup have in some places been using crude weapons to fight troops while others have sought training with ethnic minority insurgents who have been battling the military since independence in 1948 from remote border areas. Myanmar has in recent weeks seen an increasing number of small blasts in cities and towns, some targeting government offices and military facilities. There have been no claims of responsibility but the military has blamed people bent on destabilising the country. Five people killed in an explosion this week, including a former member of parliament for Suu Kyi`s party, had been building a bomb, the state controlled Global New Light of Myanmar newspaper reported. The newspaper said security forces had searched the scene of the Monday afternoon blast in the central Bago area and found wire, batteries and a damaged phone and phone parts. The newspaper said the explosion of the "home-made mine" killed four men on the spot including a member of Suu Kyi`s National League for Democracy (NLD) while another man died of his injuries in hospital. A spokesman for the NLD was not available for comment. Suu Kyi, 75, has been detained since the coup along with many members of her party. The junta said it had to seize power because its complaints of fraud in a November election won by Suu Kyi`s party were not addressed by an election commission that deemed the vote fair. The Assistance Association for Political Prisoners (AAPP) rights monitoring group says security forces have killed 766 people since the coup. The junta disputes the AAPP figure and has banned the group. It acknowledged 248 deaths in mid-April and in addition says 24 police and soldiers have been killed in the protests. Reuters is unable to verify casualties because of curbs placed on media by the junta. Many journalists areamong the thousands of people who have been detained. The independent Tachileik news agency based in Shan State in the northeast said on Facebook its licence had been revoked, the latest of eight such news outlets to be shut under orders of the authorities. Junta-controlled MRTV state television announced on Tuesday a ban on satellite television receivers, saying outside broadcasts threatened national security. It said anyone caught violating the ban risked jail. With mobile internet access largely cut off in a bid to quell the anti-junta protests, Myanmar has increasingly appeared headed back to a state of isolation that preceded a decade of democratic reforms.

Myanmar's anti-junta unity government says it has formed defence force

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi met with Burmese State Counselor and foreign minister Aung San Suu Kyi on the sidelines of the ongoing 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM) and Post-Ministerial Conferences (PMC) in Vientiane, Laos on Sunday, both promising to strengthen ties and cooperation. 
 
Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping&rsquo;s greetings to Suu Kyi. 
 
He said that China and Myanmar have a deep friendship and maintain understanding, respect, and support for one another. 
 
Wang congratulated Suu Kyi&rsquo;s new government for keeping an upbeat situation in its first 100 days and wished Myanmar further progress in its development. 
 
Wang expressed China&rsquo;s goodwill to become a trusted partner of Myanmar in its development progress, saying that China is willing to increase high-level communication and push forward practical cooperation in all fields. 
 
Suu Kyi said that China is Myanmar&rsquo;s largest friendly neighbour, and the people from two countries share strong links with each other, adding that Myanmar appreciates China&rsquo;s support and aid in its economic development as well as national reconciliation. 
 
Suu Kyi said she hopes China will continue to give Myanmar support as a good friend of the country. Myanmar is willing to work with China to continue to strengthen their relationship and pass down the traditional friendship between the two nations to later generations, she added. 
 
&#39;Media focus on South China Sea very strange&#39;&nbsp; 
 
Wang during bilateral meetings with ASEAN members on Sunday said he thought the media focus on the South China Sea issue was &quot;very strange&quot;. 
 
&quot;You should focus on China-ASEAN cooperation,&quot; he said. 
 
Southeast Asian nations failed to agree on maritime disputes in the South China Sea on Sunday after Cambodia blocked any mention to an international court ruling against Beijing in their statement, diplomats said. 
 
Foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met for the first time since the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration handed an emphatic legal victory to the Philippines in the dispute this month. 
 
The ruling by the court in The Hague denied China&#39;s sweeping claims in the strategic seaway, through which more than $5 trillion in global trade passes each year. 
 
China claims most of the sea, but ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have rival claims. Beijing says the ruling has no bearing on its rights in the sea, and described the case as a farce. 
 
(Reuters)

Foreign ministers of 10-member ASEAN met for first time since the Hague ruling on maritime disputes in the South China Sea

Chinese foreign minister Wang Yi met with Burmese State Counselor and foreign minister Aung San Suu Kyi on the sidelines of the ongoing 49th ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meeting (AMM) and Post-Ministerial Conferences (PMC) in Vientiane, Laos on Sunday, both promising to strengthen ties and cooperation. Wang conveyed Chinese President Xi Jinping’s greetings to Suu Kyi. He said that China and Myanmar have a deep friendship and maintain understanding, respect, and support for one another. Wang congratulated Suu Kyi’s new government for keeping an upbeat situation in its first 100 days and wished Myanmar further progress in its development. Wang expressed China’s goodwill to become a trusted partner of Myanmar in its development progress, saying that China is willing to increase high-level communication and push forward practical cooperation in all fields. Suu Kyi said that China is Myanmar’s largest friendly neighbour, and the people from two countries share strong links with each other, adding that Myanmar appreciates China’s support and aid in its economic development as well as national reconciliation. Suu Kyi said she hopes China will continue to give Myanmar support as a good friend of the country. Myanmar is willing to work with China to continue to strengthen their relationship and pass down the traditional friendship between the two nations to later generations, she added. 'Media focus on South China Sea very strange' Wang during bilateral meetings with ASEAN members on Sunday said he thought the media focus on the South China Sea issue was "very strange". "You should focus on China-ASEAN cooperation," he said. Southeast Asian nations failed to agree on maritime disputes in the South China Sea on Sunday after Cambodia blocked any mention to an international court ruling against Beijing in their statement, diplomats said. Foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) met for the first time since the UN-backed Permanent Court of Arbitration handed an emphatic legal victory to the Philippines in the dispute this month. The ruling by the court in The Hague denied China's sweeping claims in the strategic seaway, through which more than $5 trillion in global trade passes each year. China claims most of the sea, but ASEAN members the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia and Brunei all have rival claims. Beijing says the ruling has no bearing on its rights in the sea, and described the case as a farce. (Reuters)

China promises to strengthen ties with Myanmar

Nobel laureate and Myanmar&#39;s State Counsellor, Aung Sang Suu Kyi, will chair a new committee dedicated to promoting peace and development in Rakhine state, where the persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority lives, officials said today.&nbsp; 
 
The founding of the committee was announced a week after the U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, urged Suu Kyi who is also the country&#39;s foreign minister, to promote human rights after a meeting in which both discussed the situation of the Rohingya minority.&nbsp; 
 
The committee will include 19 more members of the new Cabinet, according to the state newspaper Global New Light of Myanmar.&nbsp; 
 
Among other matters, it will be responsible for coordinating the activities of UN agencies and international NGOs working in the area. 
 
These organizations work, albeit with restrictions, in the area to assist the Rohingyas, a minority living in Myanmar for centuries, who are not recognised as Burmese citizens but are considered Bengali immigrants. 
 
About 120,000 of them are confined in 67 camps and suffer all kinds of restrictions since the outbreak of sectarian violence in 2012 between this minority and the Buddhist majority in the region, which caused at least 160 deaths, EFE news reported. 
 
In March, just days before handing over power, the former government lifted the state of emergency imposed since then in Rakhine where the Rohingyas have limited freedom of movement and access to education, and suffer the confiscation of their property.

Since June last year, over 111,000 people--mostly Rohingyas (the Rakhine Muslims)--have been racially segregated from the Rakhine Buddhists and have been living in crowded IDP camps.

Nobel laureate and Myanmar's State Counsellor, Aung Sang Suu Kyi, will chair a new committee dedicated to promoting peace and development in Rakhine state, where the persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority lives, officials said today. The founding of the committee was announced a week after the U.S. Secretary of State, John Kerry, urged Suu Kyi who is also the country's foreign minister, to promote human rights after a meeting in which both discussed the situation of the Rohingya minority. The committee will include 19 more members of the new Cabinet, according to the state newspaper Global New Light of Myanmar. Among other matters, it will be responsible for coordinating the activities of UN agencies and international NGOs working in the area. These organizations work, albeit with restrictions, in the area to assist the Rohingyas, a minority living in Myanmar for centuries, who are not recognised as Burmese citizens but are considered Bengali immigrants. About 120,000 of them are confined in 67 camps and suffer all kinds of restrictions since the outbreak of sectarian violence in 2012 between this minority and the Buddhist majority in the region, which caused at least 160 deaths, EFE news reported. In March, just days before handing over power, the former government lifted the state of emergency imposed since then in Rakhine where the Rohingyas have limited freedom of movement and access to education, and suffer the confiscation of their property.

Aung Sang Suu Kyi to lead committee for Rohingyas

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