SCEF and ASEAN Chair to Meet, NUG Foreign Minister Says

The Federal Democracy Union Steering Council (SCEF) is planning to continue its visits to countries supporting Myanmar's democracy and revolution, and is also scheduled to hold separate meetings with the ASEAN Chair, Daw Zin Mar Aung, who is also a member of the SCEF Secretariat and the NUG's Minister of Foreign Affairs, told Yangon Khit Thit Media in an exclusive interview today. It is understood that the SCEF will continue to enhance its international relations and diplomatic activities, and has plans to continue engaging with countries that support Myanmar's cause. "SCEF is making plans to continue visiting countries that support Myanmar's cause. Similarly, there are plans to meet separately with the ASEAN Chair. These are the status of SCEF's international engagement," said NUG Foreign Minister Daw Zin Mar Aung. At the same time, Daw Zin Mar Aung said that it is necessary to distinguish whether the informal meeting between the military regime's appointed Foreign Minister and ASEAN Foreign Ministers in Bangkok, Thailand, represents the stance of ASEAN as a whole, or an effort based on the interests of one or two ASEAN member states. She explained that ASEAN has maintained its position of not granting high-level political representation to Myanmar for about five years since the military coup, and has decided not to accept or recognize the parliament and government that emerged from the military regime's elections. "They have made a clear decision not to accept or recognize the fake parliament and fake government that have emerged from the fake elections held by this terrorist military group," said Daw Zin Mar Aung. She further stated that it would not be easy for ASEAN member states to reach an agreement to reinstate the military regime in ASEAN meetings, given that the military regime has not yet implemented the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus. "It is not an easy matter for the ASEAN community to agree to bring back the military group, which is doing whatever it pleases without implementing the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus at all," said Daw Zin Mar Aung. However, she observed that some ASEAN member states are engaging with the military regime on a bilateral basis, and the informal meeting planned in Bangkok appears to be an attempt to exploit ASEAN's name based on the interests of the respective country. "I understand that they are planning to have an informal meeting in Bangkok. When such plans are made, the sponsoring country will certainly try to persuade other ASEAN foreign ministers and chairs to attend the event held in their country. In other words, it can be seen as an attempt to exploit ASEAN's name based on bilateral relations and its own national interests," said Daw Zin Mar Aung. Daw Zin Mar Aung pointed out that the ASEAN rotating chair must meet fairly with all stakeholders involved in Myanmar's affairs, and needs to meet with revolutionary forces as well as the military regime. However, she speculated that some ASEAN member states are trying to give the military regime legitimacy by providing it with a platform on the international stage, and that these countries and the military regime may be collaborating to create a scenario that puts the ASEAN chair in a difficult position. "Some countries are trying to give the military regime that space and legitimacy. The military group has always wanted this. International recognition is important. I see it as a scenario where some countries that want to bring the military group back are colluding to put the ASEAN chair in a difficult situation," said Daw Zin Mar Aung. Daw Zin Mar Aung specifically warned that even informal meetings using ASEAN's name with the military regime, which has not complied with the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus, should not be held. "Even such informal meetings should not be held. Using the ASEAN banner, the ASEAN name. They will use it extensively in their propaganda machinery and claim that they are about to be readmitted into ASEAN," she said. Daw Zin Mar Aung warned that the military regime's actions are no longer just a problem within Myanmar but are becoming a regional issue, and if ASEAN cannot exert effective diplomatic and political pressure, it will continue to harm ASEAN's prestige and image. "In this situation, ASEAN itself will become a problem. This is no longer just an internal problem of Myanmar. If it becomes a regional problem, it will deviate from the objectives for which the ASEAN community was established. If more stringent and appropriate diplomatic and political pressure is not applied, ASEAN itself will be harmed. It has already been harmed," said Daw Zin Mar Aung. Therefore, NUG Foreign Minister Daw Zin Mar Aung urged ASEAN to exert stricter and stronger diplomatic and political pressure on the military regime than before.