Asean wants Myanmar’s junta, opposition to ‘re-engage’ – Bongbong Marcos

(L-R) Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos, Singapore’s Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, Thailand’s Deputy Prime Minister Don Pramudwinai, Vietnam’s Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo, Laos’ Prime Minister Sonexay Siphandone, Brunei’s Prime Minister Hassanal Bolkiah, Cambodia’s President Hun Sen, Malaysia’s Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, and East Timor’s Prime Minister Taur Matan Ruak pose for family photo during the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in Labuan Bajo on May 10, 2023. (Photo by BAY ISMOYO / POOL / AFP)

MANILA, Philippines — Member-states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) are leaning towards a position in which the military regime and the opposition in Myanmar must come together and “re-engage.”

This is the statement of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on Thursday after the 42nd ASEAN Summit Retreat Session in Labuan Bajo, Indonesia.”

His remarks came as Asean leaders seek to form an agreement that will ease the tension in Myanmar, formerly Burma.

“There seems to be a consensus forming amongst the Asean member-states that we need to do something more to try and address the situation in Myanmar,” he noted.

“Since the Five-Point [Consensus] has not been implemented and there seems little progress, the advice or the opinion of the majority of ASEAN members was that we must find ways to re-engage both sides of the conflict, both the military regime and the opposition. And it seems a good idea,” the President said.

“The Philippines agrees with this view,” Marcos continued.

The President is attending the two-day event.

He is expected to fly back to Manila on Thursday.

In discussing the five-point agenda, Marcos was referring to the accord reached by Asean leaders on April 24, 2021.

The leaders and Myanmar junta chief, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, had agreed to an immediate end to violence, dialogue among all parties, the appointment of a special envoy, humanitarian assistance by Asean and a visit by the regional bloc’s special envoy to Myanmar to meet with all parties.

In February 2021, a military coup in Myanmar frustrated democratic reforms in the Southeast Asian country.

This nation has been struggling with military rule, civil war, governance issues and widespread poverty through its several years of independence.

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