The 'de facto' Government of Burma, under the control of the military junta, has expressed its rejection of the recent calls from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for the release of the former 'de facto' leader of the country and Nobel Peace Prize winner, Aung San Suu Kyi, who recently held a meeting with a delegation from the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) after several years without contact with the outside world.
"While Burma recognizes the positive elements contained in the declaration, it is disappointed to observe that certain terms and calls within it do not reflect the constructive efforts made by the interested Member State," the Burmese Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated in an official note.
In the same vein, the Executive has particularly criticized the "calls for 'continued expansion of access to detainees in Burma' and the 'full and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi'," warning that this type of message "has consequences for the relevant judicial process and the fundamental principles of the rule of law in a sovereign state."
The Ministry has also emphasized that the former leader was "found guilty of electoral fraud, corruption, and mismanagement." "Although the Government has commuted her sentence for humanitarian reasons, the issue of a full and unconditional release will only be carried out in accordance with the law," it added.
These statements come after ASEAN welcomed "with satisfaction" the meeting held on August 3, 2026, between Suu Kyi and the ICRC envoy, Arnaud de Baecque, a meeting that the regional bloc defined as "a positive step towards an inclusive national dialogue and reconciliation among all parties in Burma."
"We urge further expansion of access to individuals who remain detained in Burma since February 2021 and reiterate our call for their release, including the full and unconditional release of Aung San Suu Kyi. We believe that new positive steps would help build trust and create a more conducive environment for lasting peace and stability in Burma," ASEAN stated in its communiqué.
In parallel, the leader of the junta, Min Aung Hlaing, has met this week with the Thai Prime Minister, Anutin Charnvirakul, during an official visit to Bangkok, the first of its kind after years of regional isolation of Myanmar following the coup d'état of 2021.