ASEAN's main challenge is the Myanmar military's continuous refusal to implement the 5-point consensus, NUG warns

Yangon, July 13 The National Unity Government (NUG) has warned that the main challenge facing ASEAN in the Myanmar crisis is not the lack of diplomatic engagement, but the Myanmar military's continuous refusal to implement the 5-point consensus it itself agreed to. The NUG issued a statement in relation to the informal meeting between ASEAN Foreign Ministers and representatives of the Myanmar military council, hosted by the Thai government in Bangkok, Thailand, on July 12, and issued this warning. The NUG stated that Thailand, as Myanmar's neighboring country, has official national interests concerning border security, cross-border trade, humanitarian affairs, cross-border crimes, environmental conservation, and regional stability. Therefore, it is understandable to discuss issues that directly affect these interests with the military council at the bilateral level, it said. However, the NUG pointed out that bilateral engagements by individual ASEAN member states should not be interpreted as a change in ASEAN's collective stance on the Myanmar crisis. The statement indicated that the agreed framework for ASEAN's approach to the Myanmar crisis remains the 5-point consensus, which stipulates an immediate cessation of violence, constructive dialogue among all parties concerned, provision of humanitarian assistance, and engagement by the ASEAN Special Envoy with all relevant parties. "The main challenge facing ASEAN today is not the lack of diplomatic engagement. It is the military council's continuous refusal to implement the commitments it agreed to under the 5-point consensus," the NUG warned. The NUG pointed out that more than five years have passed since the adoption of the ASEAN 5-point consensus, but violence against civilians in Myanmar has not decreased and continues to occur. Indiscriminate airstrikes continue, and access for humanitarian assistance remains severely restricted. Furthermore, the NUG stated that meaningful political dialogue regarding the Myanmar crisis has not yet begun, and these situations are a result of the military council's refusal to implement its commitments under the 5-point consensus. The NUG urged that to achieve lasting peace, it is necessary to engage with all relevant stakeholders in the Myanmar crisis in a fair, systematic, and truly inclusive manner. The NUG pointed out that although ASEAN and its member states have engaged with the NUG, the Committee Representing the Pyidaungsu Hluttaw (CRPH), ethnic revolutionary organizations, and other democratic forces, these engagements have been separate and have not occurred under equal political consideration or a systematically structured framework. The NUG warned that such unequal and separate engagements carry the risk of the military council exploiting them through a divide-and-rule strategy and could also undermine the mutual trust necessary for genuine political dialogue. "Sustainable peace cannot emerge from unequal, separate engagements or through competing tracks in engaging with the various groups," the NUG said. The statement indicated that the political process concerning the Myanmar crisis must reflect the actual political realities on the ground and be a coordinated political process that recognizes all relevant stakeholders as indispensable partners for Myanmar's future. Furthermore, the NUG stated that ASEAN's reputation will not be judged by the number of meetings it convenes, but by the measurable results it achieves in implementing ASEAN's collective commitments. "Mere engagement cannot be a benchmark for success. The true measure is the reduction of violence, broader access for humanitarian assistance, and progress towards an inclusive political process," the NUG said. The NUG announced that it will continue to cooperate constructively with ASEAN, Thailand, and regional partner countries to achieve a peaceful, inclusive, and durable political solution. The NUG urged ASEAN to work towards ensuring that engagement with all relevant stakeholders is fair, systematic, and coordinated, not only in principle but also in practice. It stated that doing so would strengthen ASEAN's unity and credibility, reduce opportunities for the military council's divide-and-rule strategies, and create a more reliable path towards a peaceful, democratic, and federal future for Myanmar. "The Myanmar people have consistently demonstrated that the future of Myanmar cannot be decided by the military council alone," the NUG said, warning that lasting peace can only be achieved through faithful implementation of the commitments under the ASEAN 5-point consensus and through an inclusive political process that reflects the actual political realities on the ground.