Manila: Top Diplomats of Southeast Asia have tentatively choosing a special envoy to help deal with the political crisis of the violence that grips Myanmar but has to wait for approval from the military-ruled state leaders before announcing, two diplomats said on Tuesday.
The foreign ministers from the Southeast Asian Nations Association wanted to appoint Brunei’s second foreign minister, Erywan Yusof, as a special envoy to Myanmar, a decision achieved at their annual meeting on Monday, said the two Southeast Asian diplomats.
Diplomats spoke to the press related to the terms of anonymously because of the lack of authority to speak publicly.
Myanmar did not react immediately to choice, preventing ministers from issuing communiques with post-conferences that would reflect the main developments, diplomats said.
Block 10 countries have increased from international pressure to act on the issue that took place in Myanmar, an ASEAN member where the military in February overthrew the elected government Aung San Suu Kyi.
Regional groups, however, are hamstrung by the basic rock policy does not interfere in domestic affairs of member countries and in decision making with consensus, which means only one member country can shoot any proposal.
Appointment of special envoys cannot be made without Myanmar’s approval and not immediately clear why Myanmar does not respond to the proposed choice.
One of the diplomats said the ASEAN ministers pressured Myanmar so that special messenger work could begin as soon as possible.
One of the diplomats of Southeast Asia said Myanmar preferred a special envoy to be a candidate from Thailand, a former Thai ambassador to Myanmar, Virasakdi Futrakul.
Even if Myanmar gets the preferred choice, it is still uncertain if and when the nation’s military leaders will allow access to Suu Kyi, which has been detained with other political leaders and tried to kill diplomat costs, diplomats said.
The Indonesian Foreign Secretary, Retno Marsudi, said that after the meeting Monday that Myanmar would not respond to ASEAN’s call, his country would continue to voice his concern.
“We will not be silent about the suffering of Myanmar,” he told reporters with videos.
More than 900 people have been killed by Myanmar authorities since the takeover of February, many anti-government protests, according to a calculation stored by an independent assistance association for political prisoners.
The victim also increased among the military and the police when armed resistance grew in urban and rural areas.
ASEAN leaders held an emergency meeting in Indonesia in April and called for violence and commencement of dialogue between competing parties to be mediated by ASEAN envoys.
A high-level meeting was attended by Myanmar’s military leader, Min Aung Hlaing.
On Sunday, Min Aung Hlaing repeated his promise to hold new elections in two years and work with ASEAN to find a political solution.
He said without describing that Myanmar was “ready to work on ASEAN cooperation in the ASEAN framework, including dialogue with ASEAN special envoys in Myanmar.” Myanmar’s problem has deepened with the worst coronavirus surge, which has flooded a paralyzed health care system.
The ministers ordered the ASEAN disaster response center to immediately arrange the shipment of humanitarian aid, requested by Myanmar.
Myanmar officials are discussing the possibility of sending assistance with ASEAN Secretary General even though there are no dates set, a diplomat said.
Besides Myanmar, ASEAN consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.
This week’s minister meeting includes the ASEAN regional forum, a security conference where North Korea comes together with the United States, China, Russia, Japan and South Korea.
ASEAN Waiting for Myanmar’s Approval for Messenger: Diplomat
