Malaysia meets with Myanmar's shadow government in New York
Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah held a meeting with a delegation of Myanmar's anti-junta shadow government National Unity Government (NUG). The important meeting was held before the start of the UN General Assembly session in New York, USA on Monday (September 19).
The shadow government was established by loyalists of pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi as part of a resistance movement months after Myanmar's military seized power in a coup last year. At the same time, an armed force called the People's Defense Force (PDF) was formed. Since then, the NUG continues to struggle to overthrow the Myanmar junta government.
In a statement last week marking the one-year anniversary of the formation of the government, the NUG said that during the past year of fighting, their armed forces PDF fighters have managed to control more than half of Myanmar's territory. Malaysia became the first member of ASEAN, a regional organization of South Asian countries, to hold a public meeting with a delegation of the NUG.
According to a report by the Myanmar-based media The Irrawaddy, Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah held a meeting with NUG Deputy Foreign Minister U Mo Zaw, Chairman of NUG's Parliamentary Affairs Committee 'Committee Representing Pidungshu Hluttaw (CRPH)) U Aung Ke Nayant.
The meeting was also attended by NUG appointed ambassador to the United Nations, Un U Kyaw Mo Tun, and two other NUG ministers, U Aung Myo Min and U Tin Lin Aung.
In a Twitter message after the meeting, Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah said that the latest situation of the ongoing events in Myanmar was discussed with the NUG delegation. Earlier in May this year, NUG Foreign Minister Dr Jin Mar had a meeting with Aung.
The 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly began in New York on Monday (September 19). Several other meetings are scheduled to discuss the situation in Myanmar in this session. There are several meetings including the European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs meeting and the OIC Contact Group on Rohingya Muslims of Myanmar.
Malaysia's foreign minister said that during the UN session, Malaysia will hear the latest situation in Myanmar from various representatives on behalf of the people of Myanmar. At the same time, how Malaysia can cooperate in solving the problem will also be discussed.
