Myanmar will be represented at an upcoming regional summit in Laos for the first time in three years, as the ruling junta continues to grapple with a civil war. The conflict will be a key topic of discussion at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) meeting this week, despite previous unsuccessful diplomatic efforts to find a resolution. Myanmar had been excluded from ASEAN summits following the 2021 coup, but has now decided to send a senior foreign ministry official as its representative to the conference in Vientiane.
Following the coup, the Myanmar junta had agreed to a “five-point consensus” plan aimed at restoring peace, but failed to adhere to it and continued to crack down on dissent and opposition. By sending a representative to the ASEAN summit, the junta may be indicating a willingness to engage with the five-point consensus and have their voice heard within the regional bloc. Junta chief Min Aung Hlaing attended an emergency ASEAN summit in 2021, but has not been invited to regular gatherings since then.
Aung Kyaw Moe, the permanent secretary at the Myanmar foreign ministry, attended a meeting of foreign ministers ahead of the main summit, signaling a potential shift in the country’s approach to engaging with ASEAN and seeking a resolution to the conflict. This move comes after the military issued an invitation for talks with its enemies in an effort to end the ongoing violence, which has resulted in thousands of deaths and displaced millions of people. The junta has faced significant challenges from ethnic minority armed groups and pro-democracy forces opposing its rule.
Indonesia recently hosted talks on the Myanmar conflict involving ASEAN, the European Union, the United Nations, and various anti-junta groups. The involvement of multiple international stakeholders reflects the complex and multifaceted nature of the crisis in Myanmar, which has continued to escalate despite previous efforts to find a peaceful resolution. The presence of a Myanmar representative at the upcoming ASEAN summit signals a potential shift in the dynamics of the conflict and a renewed focus on diplomatic negotiations as a means to achieve lasting peace in the region.
