Apr 23
Coup leader turned president Min Aung Hlaing is pushing hard to break Myanmar’s isolation, using his new civilian title to press for re entry into the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), even as the bloc continues to bar him from its summits for failing to honor its Five Point Consensus agreed shortly after the 2021 coup. In his inaugural speech, he pledged to restore “normal relations” with ASEAN. At his first cabinet meeting this week, he repeated the promise, saying Myanmar was cooperating “as much as possible” with the bloc. Min Aung Hlaing claimed ASEAN’s pressure on him was based on “misinformation from social media platforms” and that some member states wanted to make adjustments, though he did not specify which countries or what issues. ASEAN has demanded implementation of its Five Point Consensus, including an immediate end to violence, but the regime has turned a deaf ear over the past five years, cooperating only on limited humanitarian matters. As a result, Min Aung Hlaing has been excluded from all ASEAN summits since 2021, with Myanmar represented only by “non political” figures. The regime’s response has been the same, insisting on “non-interference in its domestic affairs.” Now, in the first 100 days of his new civilian cloaked administration, Min Aung Hlaing is again trying to re engage ASEAN. Neighboring Thailand has also expressed support for Myanmar’s return. Bangkok has long maintained close ties with successive military regimes and previously attempted to mediate between the junta and ASEAN after the coup. Political analyst Ko Htin Kyaw Aye said Min Aung Hlaing views the regional bloc as his gateway to international acceptance. “But the bloc itself is divided, with some members favoring engagement and others insisting on full implementation of the consensus before any change in stance.”
Read more at: https://www.irrawaddy.com/news/politics/min-aung-hlaing-targets-asean-re-entry-as-key-to-ending-isolation.html
