ASEAN Top Diplomats to Review Myanmar’s Peace Plan

Jakarta, MINA – Top Southeast Asian diplomats on Monday will review the stalled peace plan for Myanmar. Previously, this group of countries in Southeast Asia experienced a peace deadlock in Myanmar with the failure of the ruling military junta to end violence more than two years after the coup.

The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meet in Jakarta, Indonesia, this week to discuss Myanmar, and several matters. Among them are the code of conduct for the South China Sea, the regional economy, transnational crime, and other issues.

Myanmar is a member of ASEAN although its military rulers have not been included in the bloc’s summit meetings since they overthrew the elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021. This is a form of strong resistance to their military junta government.

ASEAN has agreed to a peace plan, known as the five-point consensus, which calls for an end to violence and dialogue between all parties, but Myanmar’s ruling generals have only made promises without realizing them.

“In accordance with the mandate from the leaders, we will conduct a comprehensive review of the implementation of the ‘five points of consensus’ and prepare recommendations for discussion by the leaders,” said Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi in her opening speech, referring to the five-point plan on Monday.

“ASEAN can only move forward with full force if we can ensure a peaceful and lasting solution in Myanmar,” he said.

The crisis in Myanmar has raised questions about the effectiveness and unity of the group founded at the height of the Cold War in the 1960s.

For decades, ASEAN has operated under the principle of non-interference in each other’s internal affairs and reaching agreements through consensus. But this makes it difficult for ASEAN to help resolve problems such as Myanmar, because it cannot pressure the generals beyond barring them from attending high-level meetings.

Indonesia, which has urged unity amid growing skepticism about the bloc’s credibility, has made efforts behind the scenes to find a solution to the chaos in Myanmar. But so far not much can be shown from these efforts.

ASEAN leaders will gather in Jakarta in the middle of this week along with leaders and officials from partner countries such as the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and others.

US President Joe Biden will not attend but will be represented by Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Asian American vice president. Meanwhile, from China, Chinese Premier Li Qiang is scheduled to attend. (T/RE1/P2)

Mi’raj News Agency (MINA)