UK summons Myanmar envoy over military coup

LONDON (AA) - Myanmar's ambassador to London was summoned to the British Foreign Office following a coup in the Southeast Asian country, a statement said on Monday.

Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Minister for Asia Nigel Adams "condemned” the military coup and "unlawful imprisonment of civilians," including Aung San Suu Kyi, the statement added.

Adams requested "assurances of the safety of all those detained and called for their immediate release," from Ambassador Kyaw Zwar Minn.

"The Minister for Asia made clear the democratic wishes of the people of Myanmar must be respected, and the National Assembly peacefully re-convened," the FCO statement said.

"He also said that the UK would work with like-minded partners and pursue all necessary diplomatic levers to ensure a peaceful return to democracy."

Earlier, British Prime Minister Boris Johnson also condemned the military coup.

"The vote of the people must be respected and civilian leaders released," he wrote on Twitter.

Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab tweeted that the UK would use its power to raise the issue.

"We will use our leadership of the #G7 alongside our #UNSC and@COP26 presidencies to bring countries together to tackle the unprecedented challenges we face globally," he wrote.

"Tomorrow we are convening an urgent @UN Security Council meeting on the current situation in Myanmar."

Myanmar’s military seized power earlier in the day and declared a one-year state of emergency. Besides State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myint, and other senior members of the ruling National League for Democracy party, which won a landslide victory in the November 2020 elections, have been detained.

The military's move came just hours before the scheduled start of the first session of the new parliament.

The US, UK, and the EU have also condemned the move, calling for a reversal of the military's actions.