JAKARTA: On Monday, top diplomats from Southeast Asia’s regional bloc will review the stalled peace plan for Myanmar as dissatisfaction grows over the ruling military’s failure to put a stop to violence more than two years after seizing power in a coup.
The foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) will gather this week in Jakarta, the seat of Indonesia’s presidency, to talk about a code of conduct for the South China Sea, Myanmar, the economy of the area, transnational crime, and other topics.
Myanmar is a member of ASEAN, although its military rulers have been barred from the top bloc’s meetings since they overthrew an elected government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in 2021, sparking a violent backlash against their rule.
ASEAN has agreed on a peace plan, known as its five-point consensus, which calls for an end to violence and dialogue between all parties, but the generals have paid it little more than eye candy.
“As directed by the leaders, we would conduct a comprehensive review of the implementation of the ‘five personal computers’ and prepare recommendations for our leaders’ action,” Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said in an opening speech, referring to the five-point plan.
“ASEAN can sail forward in full force only if we can secure a peaceful and lasting solution in Myanmar,” she 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 on the principle of non-interference in each other’s internal affairs and reaching agreement by consensus, but this has left it struggling to deal with issues such as Myanmar, unable to pressure generals to bar them from high-level meetings.
Indonesia, which has been pushing for unity amid growing skepticism about the bloc’s credibility, has been making behind-the-scenes efforts to find a solution to Myanmar’s unrest, but has little to show for its efforts.
ASEAN leaders are due to meet in Jakarta later in the week, along with leaders and top brass from partner countries such as the United States, China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and others.
US President Joe Biden will not attend. Vice President Kamala Harris, the first Asian-American vice president, will take his place and Chinese Premier Li Qiang will attend the meeting.
