BANGKOK, Thailand: Laos, the current chair of Asean, has appointed a veteran diplomat as its special envoy to Myanmar.
According to Thai PBS, Lao Foreign Minister Saleumxay Kommasith appointed former minister in the Prime Minister's Office, Alounkeo Kittikhoun, as the Asean special envoy to the Chair on Myanmar.
"The Lao Foreign Ministry has informed its Asean colleagues about the new Asean envoy, who assumed duty on January 1," it reported, citing an informed diplomatic source.
Alounkeo's appointment comes as Laos gears up to host the foreign ministers' retreat in Luang Prabang on January 28 and 29.
In approaching the Myanmar crisis, Laos would build on the achievements made by previous chairs, namely Brunei, Cambodia, and Indonesia, according to the report. — Bernama