Myanmar Junta Leader to Visit Cambodia, Sparking Calls for Democracy Pressure

Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing will visit Cambodia next week to strengthen bilateral relations, with a political analyst urging Phnom Penh to use the visit to press the junta chief to end violence, hold dialogue, and cooperate with ASEAN. Min Aung Hlaing is scheduled to visit Cambodia from September 11 to 12 to “strengthen bilateral relations”, including attending meetings with Cambodian leaders, according to the Senate spokesperson Chea Thyrith. Sophal Ear, a Cambodian-American political scientist and professor at Arizona State University, said the visit would not amount to formal recognition of Myanmar’s military government, but warned that it could risk normalizing and legitimizing the regime. He said Cambodia should use the visit to press Min Aung Hlaing to “end violence”, ensure humanitarian access and pursue inclusive political dialogue, while maintaining ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus as the framework for engagement. “Phnom Penh should make clear that engagement does not replace ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus and that Cambodia continues to support an end to violence, humanitarian access, and inclusive political dialogue,” Sophal said. He, however, warned that Min Aung Hlaing’s visits could risk weakening ASEAN’s collective pressure on Myanmar and help normalize the military government. “If the visit is mainly ceremonial, it will be much harder to argue that Cambodia is strengthening ASEAN diplomacy rather than helping Myanmar circumvent it,” he said. ASEAN has barred Min Aung Hlaing from high-level summits since he ousted the democratically-elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi, who has been detained since the 2021 military coup. The bloc has called on the junta to substantially implement ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus that would allow the end to violence and ensure greater access for humanitarian assistance, among other conditions. Independent Cambodian political analyst Seng Vanly, echoed Sophal’s views, saying that the visit could legitimize the junta internationally if he receives a full state welcome without Cambodia addressing Myanmar’s violence, political repression and Asean’s Five-Point Consensus. “Cambodia should therefore use the visit carefully and make clear that engagement does not mean endorsement,” he said. He also urged Phnom Penh to publicly reaffirm ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus, and raise concerns about the violence and political repression in the country, and have dialogue with all relevant Myanmar stakeholders rather than deal only with military-backed authorities. Government spokesperson Pen Bona declined to comment, while Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Chann Rotana, could not be reached for comment.