Southeast Asian nations urge halt to violence in Myanmar
JAKARTA, Indonesia - Southeast Asian foreign ministers urged a halt to violence and the start of talks on a peaceful solution in Myanmar, where the military seized power from an elected government and is escalating its use of mass arrests and deadly force against peaceful protesters.
Myanmar’s top diplomat briefed other foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations during a video conference Tuesday, according to the meeting’s agenda.
It was the first meeting of foreign ministers of the 10-member ASEAN since the Feb. 1 coup, when Myanmar’s military detained Aung San Suu Kyi and other leaders.
Brunei, which heads ASEAN this year, had proposed that a joint statement be issued after the meeting. But the ministers apparently failed to agree on a declaration, and Brunei is