Members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are set to convene a ministerial meeting in Thailand later this month to address the ongoing crisis in Myanmar, Indonesiaโs foreign ministry spokesperson Roy Soemirat confirmed on Thursday, according to Reuters.
Invited by Laos, the current ASEAN chair, the meeting will focus on strategies to resolve the crisis that has plagued Myanmar since the 2021 military coup. Discussions will include the implementation of ASEANโs five-point consensus, unveiled in April 2021, which has seen minimal progress in halting the violence or facilitating dialogue.
โThe consensus has made scant progress since its unveiling,โ Soemirat stated, adding that the junta has largely ignored calls from its Southeast Asian neighbors to cease hostilities and engage with opposition groups.
The crisis has deepened since Myanmarโs military overthrew the elected government, sparking widespread rebellion. ASEAN leaders, during their October summit, called for an โimmediate cessationโ of violence, the creation of a conducive environment for humanitarian assistance, and an inclusive, โMyanmar-owned and -ledโ national dialogue.
Roy stated that the meeting is scheduled to begin on December 20, with Indonesiaโs foreign minister anticipated to attend. The upcoming ministerial meeting is expected to revisit these priorities and explore actionable solutions to the prolonged conflict.
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