PHNOM PENH - Asean will be forced to rethink peace plans made with Myanmar if the country's military rulers conduct more executions of prisoners, Cambodian Prime Minister and Asean chair Hun Sen said on Wednesday (Aug 3).
The regional bloc recently condemned the execution of four activists by Myanmar's military and has since last year been pushing for Myanmar to adhere to the Five-Point Consensus, drawn up in an attempt to bring an end to the violence and instability in the country.
Mr Hun Sen was speaking at the start of the 55th Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) in Phnom Penh. Cambodia is the current chair of Asean.
"Cambodia, as well as all Asean member states, is deeply disappointed and disturbed by the execution of those opposition activists, despite the appeals from me and others for the death sentences to be reconsidered for the sake of political dialogue, peace and reconciliation," he said.
"If more prisoners are to be executed, we will be forced to rethink our role vis-a-vis Asean's Five-Point Consensus."
Myanmar's military launched a coup against the country's democratically elected government in February last year. More than 2,000 people have been killed in the coup which has left the nation in chaos.
The Five-Point Consensus was reached at the Asean Leaders' Meeting in Jakarta in April 2021.
The five steps the military regime agreed to with the Asean leaders are: an immediate end to violence in the country; dialogue among all parties concerned; the appointment of a special envoy; provision of humanitarian assistance by Asean; and a visit by the bloc's special envoy to Myanmar to meet all parties.
While some progress has been made, the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar has not advanced in the way that everyone wished for, said Mr Hun Sen.
The situation has been made worse with the execution of the four activists, Mr Hun Sen stressed. Myanmar's ruling military announced on July 25 that it had executed four men who were accused of aiding "terror acts". Asean denounced the executions the next day.
Foreign ministers from the group's member states and their counterparts from the United States, China, Russia and other key partners will be meeting for the AMM which is on till Friday.
The foreign minister appointed by Myanmar's ruling State Administration Council was not invited to the AMM this year, The Straits Times understands. This is in line with Asean's status quo where Myanmar can be represented only by a non-political representative until there is progress in implementing the consensus.
Malaysia said last week that it would present a framework for the consensus' implementation at the AMM, after critics commented on how the Myanmar executions made "a mockery" of Asean's peace plan.
Myanmar will be a key focus of the talks.
"On Myanmar, we have spent so much time and energy, braved so many difficulties and criticism to help this country and its people find some political solutions. We will continue to do so without placing at risk, in any way, our Asean unity," said Mr Hun Sen.
