Myanmar junta leader excluded from Asean summit
17 October, 2021
Myanmar's junta chief has been excluded from a regional summit this month in a snub by South-East Asian countries who will invite a non-political representative from the country.
Min Aung Hlaing led a coup against an elected civilian government in February.
Foreign ministers from the Association of South-East Asian Nations (Asean) made the decision at an emergency meeting on Friday night in bold step for the consensus-driven bloc, which traditionally favours engagement and non-interference.
Brunei, Asean's current chair, issued a statement citing a lack of progress made on a road map that the junta had agreed to with the regional block in April to restore peace in Myanmar.
Singapore's foreign ministry said on Saturday the move to exclude junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was a “difficult, but necessary, decision to uphold Asean’s credibility".
A spokesman for Myanmar's military government blamed “foreign intervention” for the decision.
Junta spokesman Zaw Min Tun told the BBC Burmese news service that the US and representatives of the EU had pressured other Asean member states.
“The foreign interventions can also be seen here,” he said. “We learnt that some envoys from some countries met US foreign affairs and received pressure from EU.”
An official junta statement on Sunday morning said Asean's decision went against its longtime central principle of consensus.
“Myanmar is extremely disappointed and strongly objected the outcomes of the Emergency Foreign Ministers’ Meeting as the discussions and decision on Myanmar’s representation issue was done without consensus and was against the objectives of the Asean, the Asean Charter and its principles,” it said.
International condemnation
More than 1,000 civilians have been killed by Myanmar security forces with thousands of others arrested, according to the UN, amid a crackdown on strikes and protests which has derailed the country's tentative democracy and prompted international condemnation.
The junta says those estimates of the death toll are exaggerated.
Asean chair Brunei said a non-political figure from Myanmar would be invited to the October 26 to 28 summit, after no consensus was reached for a political representative to attend.
“As there had been insufficient progress … as well as concerns over Myanmar’s commitment, in particular on establishing constructive dialogue among all concerned parties, some Asean Member States recommended that Asean give space to Myanmar to restore its internal affairs and return to normality,” Brunei said in a statement.
It did not mention Min Aung Hlaing or name who would be invited in his stead.
Brunei said some member states had received requests from Myanmar's National Unity Government, formed by opponents of the junta, to attend the summit.
Asean has faced increasing international pressure to take a tougher stand against Myanmar.
Source: www.thenationalnews.com