Putrajaya, MINA – Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim on Thursday emphasized the importance of inclusive dialogue and constructive engagement for reconciliation in Myanmar as he met the country’s president, Min Aung Hlaing, Anadolu Agency reports.
Anwar said Malaysia would continue engaging Myanmar through the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) to promote regional peace and stability.
“And with this visit, Mr. President, I would say that we and our party in Malaysia will do whatever is possible to make sure that we enhance this collaboration, and ultimately take Myanmar as part of our community of nations without prejudice, and particularly in the context of ASEAN,” Anwar told a joint news conference alongside Min in Putrajaya, Malaysia’s administrative capital.
Myanmar has seen ethnic tensions with armed groups rise since the February 2021 military coup, when Min toppled the National League for Democracy government.
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Meanwhile, in a post on X, Anwar said the two countries agreed to expand cooperation in trade, investment, education, agribusiness, energy, health, and capacity building. He also thanked Myanmar for accepting the return of 10,493 nationals from Malaysia through flights and naval vessels.
Anwar said another 3,000 to 4,000 Myanmar nationals currently held in immigration detention facilities could be repatriated, subject to verification and procedures agreed upon by the two countries’ home ministries. Malaysian authorities maintain the returns are voluntary, but the UN Refugee Agency has warned that conditions in conflict-hit Myanmar do not permit safe and sustainable repatriation.
Earlier on Thursday, Anwar welcomed Min at the Perdana Putra Complex before holding a one-on-one private meeting and delegation-level talks, state news agency Bernama reported. Malaysia and Myanmar established diplomatic relations in 1958, with bilateral trade reaching approximately $1.6 billion in recent years. Since assuming the presidency in April, after holding three-phase elections, Min has also visited India, China, Laos, Thailand, Russia, Belarus, Vietnam, and Cambodia.[]
Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)
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