UN Secretary-General António Guterres delivered a statement to the media at the ASEAN Summit held in Vientiane, Laos

Speaking at the opening ceremony of the 14th ASEAN-UN Summit, Guterres noted that ASEAN has played a constructive role in continuing to seek dialogue and peaceful means to resolve disputes from the Korean Peninsula to the South China Sea.

He expressed his respect for ASEAN's full respect for the UN Charter and international law, including the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Myanmar is on an increasingly complex path

Guterres said Myanmar is still on an increasingly complex path. Violence is on the rise and the humanitarian situation has deteriorated dramatically. One third of the population is in dire need of humanitarian assistance, and millions have been forced to flee their homes. Seven years after the forced mass displacement of the Rohingya, a lasting solution still seems elusive.

He expressed support for the UN Special Envoy to strengthen cooperation with the ASEAN chairmanship to advance the Myanmar-led process in innovative ways, including the effective and comprehensive implementation of the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus and other consensuses.

He said the people of Myanmar need peace. He called on all countries to use their influence to resolve the conflict in an inclusive political manner and bring about the peaceful future that the people of Myanmar deserve.