ISLAMABAD, Pakistan / ISTANBUL

Indonesia’s foreign minister has called for an “immediate end” to the use of force and violence in Myanmar as the jailed Burmese leader Aung San Suu Kyi has reportedly expressed her support to talks “without preconditions” to end the prevailing crisis in the country.

“Indonesia strongly condemned the use of force and violence,” Retno Marsudi told counterparts from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) who are meeting for their annual summit in Jakarta, the capital of Indonesia, which is the current head of the regional bloc.

“We strongly urge all stakeholders to denounce violence as this is paramount to build trust, and this is also paramount to deliver humanitarian assistance and for dialogue,” Marsudi added.

Earlier, reports emerged that Suu Kyi “backs talks without preconditions to address Myanmar crisis.”

In December 2022, she was sentenced to 33 years in prison after a military coup toppled her National League for Democracy government in February 2021.

Thailand’s Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai has revealed that he recently met Suu Kyi.

He disclosed this to his counterparts from ASEAN during the summit in Jakarta.

Aung San Suu Kyi “is physically and mentally healthy.”

It is the first known high-level meeting between Suu Kyi and any foreign official.

The meeting is said to have lasted for one hour and was held in a prison in the capital Naypyitaw.

The ASEAN summit kicked off on Tuesday to discuss the ongoing crisis in Myanmar and tensions in the disputed South China Sea.

Marsudi also briefed her counterparts from ASEAN member states on Jakarta’s efforts to help Myanmar exit the political crisis.

“Indonesia had very intensive and broad engagements with all stakeholders. Over 110 engagements have been done so far. This is a very complex exercise, and it is not easy at all,” she said, according to a transcript of her statement made at the ASEAN summit.

Soon after the February 2021 coup launched by Myanmar's military, locally known as the Tatmadaw, ASEAN issued a five-point Consensus plan, also called the 5PCs, when Brunei was at the helm of the regional grouping.

The military takeover triggered mass protests in Myanmar, with the junta's forces killing more than 1,500 people in a crackdown on dissent, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a local monitoring group.

The Indonesian foreign minister stressed encouraging dialogue and said the dialogue will pave the way to a political solution.

"Only a political solution will lead to durable peace," she said.