ASEAN's special envoy to Myanmar said the government has assured the regional bloc that detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi is in good health, while member states renewed calls for direct access to verify her condition.

Speaking after ASEAN foreign ministers met Myanmar's Foreign Minister Tin Maung Swe on Sunday, Philippine Foreign Minister and ASEAN special envoy Maria Theresa Lazaro said her Myanmar counterpart described Suu Kyi as "a sister" and assured the bloc that she would be cared for. The remarks came as ASEAN diplomats held their first in-person meeting with Myanmar's foreign minister since the 2021 military coup, according to Reuters.

Suu Kyi, 81, has remained in detention since the military seized power in 2021. She is serving a 27-year prison sentence, recently reduced by one-third, on multiple charges that her supporters say were politically motivated. Her current whereabouts have not been publicly disclosed.

Lazaro defended ASEAN's engagement with Myanmar despite criticism, saying dialogue was necessary to advance humanitarian access and revive the bloc's stalled five-point peace consensus. She stressed that progress could not be achieved "in one stroke" and required continued engagement.

Thailand's Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow said ASEAN members had urged Myanmar to allow access to Suu Kyi so the bloc could independently verify claims about her health. Meanwhile, Myanmar's foreign ministry said the meeting focused on restoring the country's full participation in ASEAN.

The meeting drew criticism from 20 Myanmar political and ethnic organizations, which argued that ASEAN should not deepen engagement with the military-backed government while it continues to reject the regional bloc's peace initiative.

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