Asean ‘deeply disappointed’ by lack of Myanmar peace progress
- Asean ministers issue communique at regional gathering hosted by Cambodia
- Myanmar has been in chaos since a coup by its military in February last year
Southeast Asian ministers Friday condemned the lack of progress on a crisis resolution plan for coup-hit Myanmar, demanding the junta take action before a regional summit later this year.
Myanmar has been in chaos since a putsch in February last year, and the death toll from the military’s brutal crackdown on dissent has passed 2,100, according to a local monitoring group.
Anger is growing among some Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) members at the generals’ stonewalling, particularly after the execution last month of four prisoners – including two prominent pro-democracy figures.
The 10-member bloc – spearheading so far fruitless efforts to resolve the turmoil – issued a joint statement after foreign minister talks in Phnom Penh.
The ministers said they were “deeply disappointed by the limited progress in and lack of commitment of the Naypyidaw authorities to the timely and complete implementation of the five point consensus”.
And in a veiled warning to Myanmar’s junta, the statement -referencing Article 20 of the Asean charter – noted the leaders’ meeting later this year could still take action over “non-compliance”.