Leaders from some 50 European and asian countries gotten in touch with Myanmar Friday to go back to the democratic transition that was stopped by a military coup, release arbitrarily apprehended detainees, and accept a Southeast Asian envoy to moderate the 10-month-old political crisis.
Association of Southeast Asian Nations member Myanmar did not go to the two-day virtual Asia-Europe Meeting– the 3rd time the ASEAN had sidelined junta leader Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing over the violence and repression in the wake of the Feb. 1 overthrow of the countrys elected federal government.
” Leaders expressed deep issues on the situation in Myanmar and verified their strong assistance for ASEANs efforts to de-escalate the crisis,” the group said in a declaration after the meeting, hosted by Cambodia, the 2022 ASEAN chair.
” They contacted all celebrations worried in Myanmar to participate in peaceful discussion, instantly stop violence in Myanmar and exercise utmost restraint; and called Myanmar for the early release of all those arbitrarily apprehended, including foreigners, and go back to the course of democratic transition, national reconciliation and sustainable advancement,” stated the declaration.
The sticking point– which likewise kept Myanmar out of an ASEAN-China special top this week and the ten-member blocs leaders conference in Brunei last month– was the military routines failure to honor a pledge made last April to enable an ASEAN special envoy to fulfill deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and legislators ousted in Februarys coup.
Fridays statement said the ASEM leaders “advised Myanmar to assist in the see of the ASEAN Special Envoy to meet all parties concerned.”
Asked about the sub of Min Aung Hlaing by ASEAN, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, the junta spokesperson told RFA: “Our stand is clear that if the one who really and truly represents the nation is not enabled to go to, we will not attend it,”
” If there were objections regarding the one who represents the country, or he were not allow to go to, or it treats us with devalued status, we have no reason to go to,” he included.
The civilian death toll considering that the military takeover is nearly 1,300 while more than 7,000 people stayed apprehended, according to the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Numerous thousands are internally displaced in the nation of 54 million people, amid food lacks and the coronavirus pandemic.
South China Sea
The European and asian leaders, making the 25th year of the grouping, did not particularly describe territorial conflicts in the South China Sea, however stated a shared commitment to “preserving peace, stability and making sure maritime security and security, to uphold liberty of navigation and overflight, unobstructed economic activities” at sea.
The summit declaration, which did not discuss China, urged nations to act in “complete compliance with international law, in specific the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in the interest of all.”
At a leaders pull away Friday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte brought up the concern of the South China Sea for the second time in a week.
He did not discuss China or Beijing by name, but his comments followed he publicly rebuked China at an ASEAN-China conference on Monday for Chinese coast guard ships shooting a water cannon on Filipino supply boats in the South China Sea.
ASEAM leaders renewed commitment to open and inclusive multilateralism and the guideline of law as “exactly what we need in this time of profound change and uncertainty,” Duterte said.
” Nowhere is this more apparent than in the Asia-Pacific. Ours is an area that has lots of promise however laden with potential flashpoints. These include disputes in one of the worlds crucial sea lanes of interaction,” a declaration provided by the presidents workplace quoted him as stating.
” There can be no other appropriate basis for a simply maritime order however the law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the law of the sea,” he said.
ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam– as well as Taiwan– all claim parts of the South China Sea however China mentions historical rights to practically 90 percent of the sea regardless of rejection by global law.
Reported by RFAs Myanmar Service and by BenarNews, an RFA-affiliated online news service. Written in English by Paul Eckert.
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Myanmar military junta leader Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing attends the IX Moscow conference on International Security in Moscow, June 23, 2021. Credit: AFP
Myanmar military junta leader Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing attends the IX Moscow conference on International Security in Moscow, June 23, 2021.” Nowhere is this more evident than in the Asia-Pacific. Ours is an area that is full of pledge but stuffed with prospective flashpoints. These include disputes in one of the worlds most important sea lanes of interaction,” a statement released by the presidents office estimated him as stating.
