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Ministry of Foreign Affairs responds to the tweet by Mr. Peter Vowles (14-7-2022)

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has observed that a twitter post by Mr. Peter Vowles from the British Embassy in Myanmar on 13 July 2022 citing the reason for his departure from Myanmar does not turn out to be true and is far from reality.
The Ministry wishes to recall that following the proposal made by the UK Government to appoint Mr. Peter Vowles as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar on 29 April 2021, the Myanmar Government has accorded the agrément to the proposed appointment on 22 June 2021. Upon his arrival in Myanmar on 29 July 2021, for various reasons, Mr. Peter Vowles as an Ambassador-Designate failed to present his true copy of credentials to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar and his credentials to the Head of State as per the diplomatic practices.
In view of the above reasons, the Ministry placed restrictions on his entry visa. In the meantime, the UK side informed that the UK government was withdrawing the proposed appointment of Mr. Peter Vowles as British Ambassador to Myanmar, and he will serve as Chargé d’Affaires ad interim of the British Embassy in Yangon. The Ministry, therefore, informed the UK side to nominate another person in lieu of Mr. Peter Vowles as Chargé d’ Affaires of the British Embassy in Yangon as the Myanmar Government had already accorded agrément to the proposed appointment of Mr. Peter Vowles as Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the United Kingdom of Great Britian and Nothern Ireland to the Republic of the Union of Myanmar. Afterwards, upon request by the UK side, the Ministry granted permission for Mr. Peter Vowles to return to Myanmar to collect his personal belongings from 21 June 2022 to 15 July 2022. As such, Mr. Peter Vowles has left Myanmar before his visa expires.
It is observed that Mr. Peter Vowles intended to serve as British Ambassador in Myanmar without presenting his credentials violating the well-established diplomatic ethics and Codes of Conduct. In this regard, Mr. Peter Vowles had to leave Myanmar as the Myanmar Government has acted in accordance with diplomatic practices as a sovereign state.
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Nay Pyi Taw
Dated, 14 July 2022