ASEAN to discuss relations with Myanmar at special meeting in Bangkok, Myanmar Foreign Minister likely to attend

Foreign ministers of ASEAN countries and Myanmar will discuss the situation of re-engagement with the ASEAN bloc following Myanmar's armed conflict and five years of stagnation at an upcoming meeting, the Philippines said on July 10. The Philippines, which holds the current rotating chairmanship of ASEAN, comprising 11 member states, will lead the meeting to be held in Bangkok on July 12. The meeting is the first to be attended by Myanmar's foreign minister since the military seized state power in 2021, after which Myanmar was barred from attending ASEAN summits. Chaos has erupted in the country following the coup by the military, which has ruled Myanmar for about five of the past six decades. The crackdown on protests escalated into armed conflict, killing an estimated 100,000 people and displacing millions. The Myanmar military has been accused of widespread atrocities. The Myanmar military has denied these accusations. Myanmar is governed by a civilian government following elections held earlier this year, with former military commander-in-chief and junta chairman Senior General Min Aung Hlaing serving as president. Myanmar remains an integral part of ASEAN, and the meeting on July 12 will be an informal meeting, where the Myanmar foreign minister will have the opportunity to explain the situation in his country to other ASEAN member states, the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs stressed. "It is expected that the ministers will exchange views on practical steps that Myanmar can take to address concerns such as the cessation of hostilities, the promotion of constructive dialogue among stakeholders, and the provision of humanitarian assistance, in addition to the engagement between Myanmar and ASEAN," the Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs statement continued. President Min Aung Hlaing has been seeking to end the stalemate with ASEAN and made his first state visit to an ASEAN member country last week. The main reason for Myanmar's exclusion from ASEAN meetings has been its failure to implement the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus. Ref; Reuters