The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) began its virtual summit today without any representation from Myanmar, after the group denied entry to political representatives from the country.
Myanmar’s junta criticised the decision in a press statement released on Monday, saying that it has the full right to participate as a member nation.
In a press release circulated on Monday, the junta-controlled foreign ministry said: “Myanmar being an ASEAN member state has the full rights to participate in the upcoming ASEAN summits and related summits ... as the ASEAN Charter guaranteed equality of all ASEAN member states and thus equal level of representation at the Asean Meetings on equal footing with fellow ASEAN Member States.”
It further added that excluding Myanmar violates the terms of ASEAN’s charter.
Brunei, ASEAN’s current chair, had requested the participation of a non-political representative from the country but the request was denied by the junta because it said that it would only accept the participation of the “head of state or head of government or his ministerial-level representatives.”
The decision to not invite military ruler Min Aung Hlaing was based on the junta’s “insufficient progress” in abiding by the five-point peace roadmap set forth for it. As of now, ASEAN has decided to “give space to Myanmar to restore its internal affairs and return to normalcy,” Brunei, the group’s current chair, said in a statement a little over a week ago.
Meanwhile, in a sign of the United States’ (US) return to multilateralism, President Joe Biden will also reportedly take part in the joint session of the ongoing summit. This is the first time in four years that Washington is engaging at the highest diplomatic level with the bloc.
The White House said that Biden is expected to reaffirm the US’ “enduring” commitment to ASEN’s central role in regional affairs. He will also be discussing new initiatives to strengthen Washington’s strategic partnership with the bloc, as the two “work together to end the COVID-19 pandemic, address the climate crisis, promote economic growth, and address a range of other regional challenges and opportunities.”
In other related news, the United Nations (UN) Secretary-General António Guterres announced on Monday that he had appointed Singaporean sociologist Noeleen Heyzer as the organisation’s new special envoy to Myanmar. Heyzer is set to replace Christine Schraner Burgener of Switzerland.
Heyzer expressed hope that a peaceful solution can eventually be found to the political crisis that has ensued in Myanmar since the military ousted the country’s democratic government on February 1.
“I will take on this role on December 13 and I look forward to listening to the aspirations and perspectives of all stakeholders in the hope of a peaceful political solution in the country for a better future for all the people of Myanmar,” she said.
ASEAN Summit Takes Place Without Myanmar as UN Appoints New Envoy to Crisis-Torn Country
Myanmar’s junta criticised the decision on Monday saying that it has the full right to participate as a member nation.
October 26, 2021
UN envoy to Myanmar, Dr Noeleen Heyzer. SOURCE: ONG WEE JIN