Vivian Balakrishnan on military coup in Myanmar

Foreign Affairs Minister Vivian Balakrishnan has urged against widespread sanctions on Myanmar after the military coup there, saying it would hurt ordinary people the most. He said he had conveyed this in discussions with several counterparts, including the US and Germany. Dr Balakrishnan called on Myanmar authorities to exercise utmost restraint and go back to a path of democratic transition. He said ASEAN can play a “discreet constructive role” in facilitating a return to normalcy and stability in Myanmar. He was responding to MPs' questions in Parliament on Tuesday (Feb 16).