JAKARTA - Asean’s recent moves to address the Myanmar crisis were taken because the bloc wants to work out a constructive solution and wants engagements with its troubled member to be more effective, said Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong on Thursday.
It is through this approach that the regional grouping hopes to implement the peace plans it has established for Myanmar, he said.
On Tuesday, Asean leaders issued a strongly worded statement that Myanmar would be passed over for its turn to take up the rotating chairmanship of the grouping in 2026. Instead, the responsibility will be assumed by the Philippines.
The statement also said that a new troika comprising the immediate past, current and incoming Asean chairs would be set up to tackle the crisis in Myanmar.
In the current case, that would be Cambodia, Indonesia and Laos.
It reiterated that the bloc’s road map for Myanmar, the five-point consensus (5PC), remains the main point of reference to address the issue.
The three nations will likely engage the parties in Myanmar collectively and more effectively, PM Lee told reporters following the conclusion of the 43rd Asean Summit and related meetings in Jakarta.
Given that the Asean chairmanship moves on every year, this approach provides for “certain continuity and renewal”, he added.
PM Lee conceded that anything the bloc does will not immediately change the situation in Myanmar.
“But we do want to engage the parties in Myanmar. We would like to encourage them, nudge them in a constructive direction to encourage them to talk to one another. And to work out a solution which will work for Myanmar,” he said.
Asean’s 5PC called for a dialogue among all parties, an immediate halt to violence in Myanmar, the appointment of an Asean special envoy to facilitate mediation, humanitarian assistance and a visit by an Asean delegation to Myanmar to meet all concerned parties.
The country has been in turmoil since Myanmar’s military launched a coup against its democratically elected government in February 2021.
Asean drew up a five-point peace plan with the military two months later, but there has been little progress in quelling the post-coup violence that has killed thousands.
It will take time to stop the violence and work out solutions, such as to facilitate a better flow of humanitarian aid into Myanmar, PM Lee said.
“Those are consequential results, which we hope with better engagement in due course will come about, but I think it will take time.”
