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ASEAN ministers call on Myanmar junta to implement peace plan

Two years on, Myanmar's junta still hasn't carried out the agreed-upon peace plan that called for an end to violence and dialogue between the military and rebels.

Indonesia is the chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2023 and will host the bloc's annual leaders' meetings later this year.
AFP

Indonesia is the chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2023 and will host the bloc's annual leaders' meetings later this year.

Southeast Asian ministers at the end of two-day talks in Indonesia have urged Myanmar's junta to implement a five-point peace plan agreed two years ago to create a path towards ending the country's political crisis.

Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said on Saturday that Jakarta proposed an implementation plan to ASEAN members for the "five-point consensus" agreed with the junta in April 2021.

"Broad support was received from all member states to this plan," she told reporters at the end of talks, without providing details of when and how they hoped the agreement would be implemented.

"This plan is very important for ASEAN, in particular the chair, as a guidance to address the situation in Myanmar in a united manner. It shows a strong unity of ASEAN members to implement the 5PC."

Indonesia — Southeast Asia's biggest economy — is the chair of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) for 2023 and will host the bloc's annual leaders' meetings later this year.

But the ministerial meeting in Jakarta had been overshadowed by the situation in Myanmar, which has been in turmoil since the army seized power in February 2021.

READ MORE: Myanmar military imposes martial law in resistance strongholds

Lack of progress

The junta remains an ASEAN member but the bloc barred it from top-level summits over its failure to implement the plan that aims to achieve peace between the military and Myanmar's anti-coup movement.

Myanmar's foreign minister Than Swe – appointed this week – was not present at the ASEAN talks Friday.

The bloc declined to invite a junta member and only requested a "non-political representative" – an offer rejected by Naypyidaw.

Indonesian officials have said the lack of progress by Myanmar's junta tests the bloc's credibility and are working to find solutions to the crisis.

Jakarta has announced plans to set up a special envoy's office under the foreign ministry to establish low-level dialogue with the junta.

READ MORE: How is Myanmar faring two years after coup that ousted Aung San Suu Kyi?

SOURCE: AFP
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