BANGKOK – Thailand’s caretaker government is hosting an informal meeting today involving countries affected by the situation in Myanmar to help support Asean’s efforts to end the violence in the junta-ruled neighbouring country.
In a statement, Thailand’s Foreign Ministry said the informal meeting is not being held within the Asean framework.
The meeting is expected to be attended by high-level representatives from Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, India, China, Brunei and Vietnam.
So far three key Asean member states – Malaysia, Singapore, and Indonesia – have indicated they will not be attending the meeting.
The statement said Thailand had informed the Asean Regional Forum in Phnom Penh last year that it would be advancing dialogue in all forums to find a way to resolve the situation in Myanmar peacefully, including through Track 1.5 dialogue, which comprises both government and academia.
“As a neighbouring country that shares a 2,400-km long border with Myanmar, Thailand wants to see cessation of violence which will eventually lead to peace and stability inside Myanmar,” it said.
Meanwhile, yesterday, Malaysia’s Foreign Ministry (Wisma Putra) said Foreign Minister Datuk Seri Zambry Abd Kadir will not be able to attend the informal discussion on Myanmar due to a prior commitment. Zambry will be leaving for the Netherlands today for a two-day working visit.
Wisma Putra also cited the decision of the recent 42nd Asean summit in Labuan Bajo which reiterated the Five-Point Consensus as Asean’s valid reference and mandate in addressing the Myanmar issue.
In this regard, Malaysia remains supportive of the efforts being undertaken by the Asean chair, particularly the Office of the Special Envoy, in finding a solution for Myanmar, said Wisma Putra in a statement.
Earlier on Friday, Singapore’s Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan said “it would be premature to re-engage with the junta at a summit level or even at a foreign minister level” as there is no sign of improvement in Myanmar after more than two years.
Earlier, media reported that Thailand’s Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai, in a letter, proposed to host an informal ministerial meeting “to fully re-engage Myanmar at the leaders’ level”.
Myanmar’s opposition, the National Unity Government, condemned the Thai initiative.
“Inviting the illegitimate junta to this discussion will not contribute to the resolution of Myanmar’s political crisis, instead, it will undermine Myanmar people’s struggles for human rights, justice, and democracy, further complicating the problem,” it said in a statement.
The move by Thailand’s caretaker government to convene the meeting also raised eyebrows in Thailand, given that a new government will only be sworn in sometime in August. This follows the stunning victory of the opposition bloc, led by the progressive Move Forward Party, over the pro-military parties in the May 14 general election.
Since the junta deposed a civilian government led by Aung San Suu Kyi in a coup on February 1, 2021, Myanmar has seen turmoil, with clashes between civilians and armed forces occurring almost regularly.
However, there has been little progress achieved in the implementation of the 5PCs and Myanmar’s ruling generals have been barred from attending Asean’s high-level meeting due to their failure to honour the agreement. – Bernama, June 19, 2023
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