JAKARTA: Southeast Asian nations, engaged in a collective effort to foster harmony and tranquility in Myanmar, are poised to issue a statement this Thursday regarding their ongoing discussions at a conference, although progress in addressing the conflicts plaguing their neighbouring country remains elusive.
The Association for Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), comprising 10 member states, including Myanmar, has endeavoured to exert pressure on the Myanmar ruling military authorities to implement a comprehensive five-point peace plan, which was mutually agreed upon with the junta shortly after the coup in early 2021, according to foreign media.
Regrettably, Myanmar’s military has merely paid lip service to the ASEAN plan, which encompasses a end of violence and constructive dialogues between the military and proponents of democracy. Consequently, doubts have surfaced regarding the effectiveness of the ASEAN bloc.
As the current chair of ASEAN, Indonesia appealed to the foreign ministers of member nations convening in Jakarta for their routine conference to maintain a united front in addressing the escalating violence in Myanmar. The Indonesian foreign ministry affirmed that a joint communique would be issued on the same day.
However, as of early Thursday, no statement had been released. The reasons for this delay remain unclear, although an ASEAN official indicated that the finalization of the communique was in progress and would be released imminently.
In addition to the intra-ASEAN meetings, ASEAN is also conducting discussions with representatives from significant partners such as the United States, China, and Russia throughout this week.
Later today, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken is scheduled to meet with Chinese diplomat Wang Yi, marking the latest in a series of interactions between these rival powers.
