ASEAN to Hold Special Meeting on Myanmar Engagement, Philippines Says

ASEAN's X Account

ASEAN countries' representatives in a previous meeting.

Foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and their counterpart from Myanmar are set to meet on Sunday to discuss the country's civil war and its future engagement with the regional bloc after five years of diplomatic isolation, the Philippines said on Friday.

As chair of the 11-member ASEAN, the Philippines will host the meeting in Bangkok. It will mark the first in-person talks between ASEAN foreign ministers and Myanmar's top diplomat since the 2021 military coup and the conflict that followed, which led to the exclusion of Myanmar's military leaders from ASEAN summits.

The coup, carried out by an army that had dominated Myanmar's politics for much of the past six decades, plunged the country into turmoil. A violent crackdown on pro-democracy protests escalated into a civil war that has reportedly claimed an estimated 100,000 lives and displaced millions. The military has been accused of committing widespread atrocities, allegations it denies.

Myanmar is now governed by a nominally civilian administration formed after elections held earlier this year, with former junta leader and armed forces commander Min Aung Hlaing serving as president.

The Philippine foreign ministry stressed Myanmar remained an integral part of ASEAN and Sunday's meeting would be informal, giving Myanmar's foreign minister a chance to brief counterparts on the situation in the country.

"They are expected to exchange views on ASEAN's engagement with Myanmar, as well as on possible concrete ‌steps ⁠in which Myanmar may address concerns on the cessation of violence, constructive dialogue among concerned parties, and humanitarian assistance," it said in a statement.

Min Aung Hlaing is seeking to end the country's diplomatic impasse with the ASEAN, making his first state visit to an ASEAN member state last week.

Myanmar's exclusion from high-level ASEAN meetings has largely stemmed from Min Aung Hlaing's failure to implement the five-point consensus he agreed with the bloc following the 2021 military coup. The plan sets out measures aimed at reducing violence and promoting dialogue between the country's warring parties.

However, efforts to normalise relations could face further obstacles after Myanmar's military-aligned parliament introduced a motion opposing the ASEAN peace plan, describing it as interference in the country's internal affairs and a breach of the bloc's core principles.

In a two-page article published on Friday, the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar, the military's official newspaper, reported that lawmakers had approved a resolution calling on the government to review and challenge ASEAN's position.

"During the discussions, lawmakers from both houses largely supported the motion, arguing that ASEAN should reassess its position on Myanmar following political developments and the formation of a new elected government," the newspaper said.

Source: Reuters



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