Asean foreign ministers meet in Cambodia, with Myanmar a key focus

PHNOM PENH • Asean foreign ministers begin their two-day retreat in Cambodia today, with Myanmar skipping the meeting after the regional group invited only a "non-political" representative to attend.

Singapore's Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan is in Phnom Penh, the capital of Cambodia, to attend the retreat.

He arrived on Tuesday to meet the country's leaders.

He called on Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen yesterday, Singapore's Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) said in a statement. Cambodia is the Asean chair this year.

The MFA has said that the foreign ministers were expected to discuss the group's priorities for the year, take stock of Asean's community-building efforts and cooperation with its external partners, and exchange views on regional and international issues.

The retreat is the first in a series of meetings that Cambodia will be hosting as Asean chair under the theme - Asean Act: Addressing Challenges Together.

Cambodia yesterday confirmed that Myanmar will not be attending, a day after Myanmar's ruling military junta criticised its neighbour for insisting its generals are not invited, Reuters reported.

Since last October, Asean has invited only a "non-political" Myanmar official to its meetings, following the military coup in February last year that ousted civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Myanmar has been mired in political conflict under the junta, with the coup triggering massive demonstrations that have morphed into armed insurgency in various parts of the country. Myanmar's Institute for Strategy and Policy says that more than 3,500 civilians were killed last year.

Nationwide, at least 320,000 people have been displaced and millions are at risk of poverty and hunger.

Mr Hun Sen and Dr Balakrishnan yesterday had a wide-ranging discussion on developments in the region.

"They hoped to see further progress on the negotiations on the Code of Conduct in the South China Sea. They also agreed it was important to foster more trade and investment in the Asia-Pacific region," the MFA statement said.

"Prime Minister Hun Sen looked forward to the early resumption of safe travel in the region and the Asean arrangements to support that."

Dr Balakrishnan said Singapore "remained deeply concerned about the situation in Myanmar".

"The lack of progress in the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus since its adoption by Asean leaders and Senior General Min Aung Hlaing on April 24, 2021, is disappointing," the MFA statement said. "Prime Minister Hun Sen and Minister Balakrishnan agreed that the current arrangements for Myanmar to be represented at the non-political level at Asean meetings should continue. They emphasised the need for the Myanmar military authorities to swiftly and fully implement the Five-Point Consensus.

"If there is significant progress on the Five-Point Consensus, Asean will review the arrangements."

Under the consensus hammered out in April last year, the Asean special envoy is tasked with meeting and helping to facilitate constructive dialogue among all parties concerned in Myanmar's political crisis.

The blueprint also calls for violence to cease, and for humanitarian aid to be facilitated.

Dr Balakrishnan reiterated Singapore's support for the appointment of the special envoy of the Asean chair on Myanmar and for him to meet all parties concerned.

That special envoy on Myanmar this year is Mr Prak Sokhonn, Cambodia's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation.

Prime Minister Hun Sen and Dr Balakrishnan in their discussions agreed that "Asean's full agenda should not be held hostage by the situation in Myanmar".

The Singapore minister yesterday also met Mr Hun Many, Chairman of the National Assembly Commission on Education, Youth, Sports, Religion, Culture and Tourism.

He met Mr Prak Sokhonn and Minister of Environment Say Samal on Tuesday.