TOKYO: Japanese Foreign Minister MOTEGI Toshimitsu said on Thursday he had agreed with his US, Indian and Australian counterparts that democracy must be restored quickly in Myanmar.

Myanmar’s military has arrested civilian leaders, including Nobel laureate Aung San Suu Kyi, and announced a year-long state of emergency, alleging that November’s election was beset by fraud. The electoral commission dismissed the army’s complaints.

Motegi made his comment after a phone conversation with US Secretary of State Antony Blinken, Indian Foreign Minister Subrahmanyam Jaishankar and Australian Foreign Minister Marise Payne — countries in the so-called “Quad” framework.

“We’ve all agreed on the need to swiftly restore the democratic system (in Myanmar),” and to strongly oppose all unilateral attempts to change the status quo by force,” Motegi told reporters.

“I stressed that, with challenges to existing international order continuing in various fields, the role we, the countries that share basic values and are deeply committed to fortifying free and open international order based on the rule of law, play is only getting bigger,” Motegi said.

Reuters