In 2013 the EU and Myanmar agreed to open a new chapter in their relations and laid the foundations of a strong partnership. A high level political dialogue was launched and the two partners also engage in a regular Human Rights Dialogue which is co-chaired by the EU Special Representative for Human Rights. This engagement underscores the particular attention the EU places on democratic transition and human rights in the country, not least the protection of the rights of persons belonging to ethnic and religious minorities, including the Rohingya.The EU quickly responded to the immediate needs of the country’s transition and provided swift and targeted support inter alia for the peace process, institution building and electoral reform and helped initiate steps to reform the Myanmar Police Force.The EU is now reaching out to the Myanmar military (Tatmadaw), which remains a key political player, on the role of the military in a modern democracy. To this end, the Chairman of the EU Military Committee visited Myanmar in June 2016 to establish contact and subsequently received the Commander-in-Chief of the Myanmar Armed Forces, who attended the EU28 Chief of Defence Meeting on 8 November 2016.The EU and Myanmar also co-operate inmultilateral fora. For many years, the EU has tabled resolutions on the human rights situation in Myanmar in the United Nations General Assembly and Human Rights Council. In recognition of the country's progress on democratic transition, the reinvigoration of the peace process and the positive steps taken by the new government to improve human rights, in September 2016 the EU took the decision not to table a human rights resolution in the UN General Assembly Third Committee. In view of the remaining human rights concerns, in particular the recent violence in Rakhine State following the 9 October 2016 attacks on three border guard posts, the EU continued the resolution in the UN Human Rights Council in March 2017.Myanmar’s first ASEAN chairmanship in 2014 provided the opportunity for the EU to step up engagement with the country at the regional level and work towards implementing the "Bandar Seri Begawan Plan of Action to strengthen the ASEAN-EU Enhanced Partnership (2013-2017)" and promoting EU strategic interests in the Asia Pacific as set out later on in the EU Joint Communication ‘The EU and ASEAN: a partnership with a strategic purpose’ and the ensuing Council conclusions.The EU and Myanmar cooperate in broad security and defense related matters in the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF). The Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) is the other multilateral forum for engagement. On 20-21 November 2017 Myanmar will host the 13th ASEM Foreign Ministerial Meeting.