UN envoy urges Asean to act as Myanmar junta ignores consensus plan
- Christine Schraner Burgener’s comments come as Myanmar’s junta chief indicates he has no intention of following through with Asean’s five-point consensus
- As the crisis continues, one commentator notes Asean is facing its own dilemma with some countries open to accepting the coup leaders
The United Nations special envoy for Myanmar has warned Asean that time was running out in getting the country’s junta to comply with the five-point consensus plan drawn up in April, with the regional bloc also being criticised by commentators for its inertia over the matter.
“Clearly, it’s up to Asean how to react,” Christine Schraner Burgener said in a virtual press conference. “We should be aware that time is ticking and we have not a lot of time to see action on the ground, because time will just play in the hands of the military junta.”
Burgener’s comments follow fresh indications from Myanmar’s junta chief Min Aung Hlaing that he has no intention of following through with Asean’s five-point consensus.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) held special talks in Jakarta on April 24 with the senior general and subsequently said an agreement had been forged on five issues: ending violence, constructive talks among “all parties concerned”, the sending of aid to Myanmar, the appointment of a special envoy to facilitate talks, and for the envoy to be allowed visits to the country.
In an interview with China’s state-linked Phoenix Television that aired this week, the junta chief was asked if his administration was “not ready” to implement the plan.
In response, he replied: “Correct”.
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In her comments, Burgener noted that Min Aung Hlaing had said a day after the April 24 meeting that he would only consider the consensus plan after the situation in Myanmar was stable.