UPDATE 1-Singapore, Indonesia say ASEAN can play important role in Myanmar

(Adds details, comments from statement)
SINGAPORE, Feb 18 (Reuters) - The foreign ministers of
Singapore and Indonesia believe the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations (ASEAN) can play an important role in encouraging
dialogue and a return to normalcy in Myanmar, the city-state's
foreign affairs ministry said.
The statement was issued after Indonesia's minister of
foreign affairs Retno Marsudi met her counterpart Vivian
Balakrishnan in Singapore on Thursday.
The pair discussed possible next steps for the 10-member
ASEAN to address the situation in Myanmar, where the elected
government of Aung San Suu Kyi was overthrown in a coup on Feb.
1.
"They also expressed strong support for a proposed informal
ASEAN ministerial meeting on Myanmar to be convened as soon as
possible, to facilitate a constructive exchange of views and
identify a possible way forward," according to the statement.
Myanmar is a member of ASEAN and the statement said the
talks covered how the bloc "could foster inclusive dialogue with
all key stakeholders, including its external partners".
Retno's Singapore visit comes after she met with Brunei's
Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah on Wednesday to urge the ASEAN chair
country to back dialogue amongst member states on Myanmar.
Malaysia has also been calling for a special meeting.
Arranging a meeting could be a challenge, however, given
ASEAN's policy of non-interference in its members' domestic
issues and their contrasting responses to the army takeover.
Singapore's Balakrishnan spoke out on Tuesday about
"alarming developments" in Myanmar but said he did not support
widespread sanctions on the country in response to a coup there
as these could hurt ordinary citizens. The United States and Britain are among countries that have
announced or threatened sanctions in response to the Myanmar
coup.