Foreign Ministry urges Timor-Leste to refrain from actions and statements that could harm Myanmar’s image

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs on June 3 urged Timor-Leste to refrain from making misleading statements that could damage Myanmar’s image.

In a statement, the Ministry expressed regret over remarks made by Timor-Leste President José Ramos-Horta regarding the current situation in Myanmar during the Shangri-La Dialogue held in Singapore on May 30, 2026, and at the Economic Research Institute for ASEAN and East Asia (ERIA) meeting in Jakarta on June 2, 2026.

According to the statement, Myanmar views the remarks as interference in its internal affairs and a violation of the fundamental principles of the ASEAN Charter, particularly those relating to non-interference, sovereignty, and the territorial integrity of ASEAN member states.

The Ministry stated that such comments have seriously undermined bilateral relations between Myanmar and Timor-Leste and have also affected the spirit of ASEAN unity.

The statement noted that Myanmar’s peace process is highly complex due to historical circumstances and the political, ethnic and economic interests of various armed groups. It emphasized that the Myanmar government remains firmly committed to achieving national reconciliation and sustainable peace through a Myanmar-led and Myanmar-owned process.

The government has called on both signatories and non-signatories of the Nationwide Ceasefire Agreement (NCA) to participate in peace negotiations and has urged members of the People’s Defence Force (PDF) to return to the legal framework and resolve conflicts through political means.

The Ministry further stated that, contrary to the claims made by the Timor-Leste President, most parts of Myanmar remain stable, with security challenges limited to certain border areas. It attributed these incidents to defensive responses by security forces against attacks by armed groups and invited interested parties to observe firsthand the situation on the ground.

Myanmar strongly rejected what it described as the misuse of international forums by the President of Timor-Leste to make inaccurate statements regarding Myanmar’s internal affairs. The Ministry urged Timor-Leste to avoid making misleading remarks that could tarnish Myanmar’s image and to respect and uphold the purposes and principles of the ASEAN Charter as a responsible member of ASEAN.