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Southeast Asian countries will invite a non-political representative of Myanmar to participate in this month’s regional summit, which will give an unprecedented indifference to the military leaders who led the coup d’état against the democratically elected civilian government in February this year.
The decision made by the Foreign Ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at an emergency meeting on Friday night marked a rare bold step by this consensus-oriented group that has always supported a policy of engagement and non-interference.
On Saturday, Singapore’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the move to exclude the chief general of the military government, Min Anglai, was “a difficult but necessary decision to maintain the credibility of ASEAN”.
The statement pointed out that the implementation of the five-point plan agreed by ASEAN leaders in April aimed at ending the turmoil after the coup d’état was “not progressing”.
Brunei, the current chairman of ASEAN, said that after no consensus has been reached on the participation of political representatives at the meeting, non-political figures in Myanmar will be invited to the summit on October 26-28.
“Due to insufficient progress… and concerns about Myanmar’s commitments, especially the establishment of a constructive dialogue between all parties involved, some ASEAN member states suggested that ASEAN provide space for Myanmar to restore its internal affairs and return to normal. “Brunei said in a statement.
It did not mention that Min Aung Hlaing or will be invited to replace his name.
Zaw Min Tun, a spokesman for the Myanmar military government, blamed “foreign interference” for the rare exclusion of Min Aung Hlaing from the summit, and told the BBC Myanmar News Agency that representatives of the United States and the European Union were putting pressure on other leaders. The 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) excluded military leaders from the summit later this month.
“You can also see foreign intervention here,” he said. “Before, we learned that some special envoys of some countries met with the foreign affairs of the United States and were under pressure from the European Union.”
‘Political expediency’
According to the United Nations, in the process of fighting strikes and protests, Myanmar’s security forces have killed more than 1,000 civilians and arrested thousands, which undermined the country’s tentative democracy and sparked international condemnation.
The military government stated that these estimates of the death toll have been exaggerated.
Mustafa Izudin, a global affairs analyst at Singapore’s Solaris Strategies consulting firm, said that exclusion is “a political expedient for ASEAN to ease international criticism.”
“It ensures its [ASEAN’s] Regional reputation as an organization that can still play an active role in Southeast Asian affairs,” he told AFP.
Izuddin also stated that this move sent a “political signal” to the military government, “ASEAN is not a country that can be manipulated, and Myanmar must show its seriousness and commitment to launch a five-point plan.”
Brunei added that some member states have received requests from the Myanmar National Unity Government, composed of opponents of the military government, to participate in the summit.
‘Reasonable downgrade’
ASEAN faces increasing international pressure to take a tougher stance against Myanmar, and has been criticized in the past for its inefficiency in dealing with leaders accused of human rights violations, subversion of democracy, and intimidation of political opponents.
A U.S. State Department official told reporters on Friday that it is “completely appropriate and, in fact, completely reasonable” for ASEAN to reduce Myanmar’s participation in the upcoming summit.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi stated in a tweet that her country had proposed that Myanmar “should not be represented at the political level” until it “restores democracy through an inclusive process”.
Singapore urged Myanmar to cooperate with the special envoy of ASEAN and Brunei’s second foreign minister Eriwan Yusof.
In recent weeks, Eriwan has postponed a long-planned visit to the country and asked to meet with all parties in Myanmar, including the deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi who was detained in the coup.
Military government spokesman Jomin Tun said this week that Myanmar welcomes Eriwan but is not allowed to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi because she has been charged with a crime.
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