PHNOM PENH: The Special Envoy of the Chair of ASEAN on Myanmar, DPM Prak Sokhonn, has released a statement welcoming the recent mass release of prisoners by the State Administrative Council of Myanmar.

According to the statement, the Special Envoy considers this mass release an important gesture in the right direction to create a conducive environment for the commencement of a dialogue process among all concerned parties in Myanmar.

“It is a sign of good will in pursuing a peaceful solution to the current crisis, and a positive development in line with the spirit and aspiration of the Five-Point Consensus reached at the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting on 24 April 2021,” said the Special Envoy.

The statement added that the Special Envoy's earlier planned third visit to Myanmar will be conducted in the coming weeks, to further pursue the efforts made since the beginning of Cambodia's Chairmanship of ASEAN to assist Myanmar's return to normalcy and a democratic path.

“It is hoped that more progress can be achieved on the three priorities of the Five-Point Consensus, namely ending violence, facilitation of humanitarian assistance delivery and building trust and confidence for an inclusive peace dialogue,” read the statement.

The list of prisoners released includes Kyaw Tint Swe, former Minister for the Office of the State Counsellor; Lei Lei Maw, former Chief Minister of Tanintharyi Region; Mya Aye, 8888 generation for pro-democracy activist; Dr. My Nyunt, member of the central executive committee and spokesperson of the National League for Democracy (NLD); U Thein Oo, NLD central executive committee member; U Kyaw Ho, NLD legal advisor; Professor U Maung Tha Cho; Ven. Shwe Nya War Sayadaw; Mrs. Vicky Bowman, United Kingdom's former Ambassador to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar, and her spouse; Professor Sean Turnell, former economic policy advisor to Daw Aung San Suu Kyi; Mr. Toru Kubota, Japanese journalist and film producer; and Mr. Kyaw Hay 0o, a U.S. Citizen.