Even Superman can't fix problem in Myanmar: Asean special envoy

Cambodian minister flags possible third trip there, contingent on progress on 5-point plan

PHNOM PENH • A regional envoy tasked with brokering peace in Myanmar admitted yesterday that "even Superman cannot solve" the crisis, capping a week of foreign ministerial meetings that ultimately yielded little progress.

Myanmar has spiralled into civil war since a putsch in February last year, with the death toll from the military's brutal crackdown on dissent passing 2,100, according to a local monitoring group.

The 10-country Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean) has spearheaded so far fruitless efforts to resolve the turmoil, and acknowledged in a joint statement on Friday the lack of progress around a five-point crisis resolution plan.

Asean special envoy Prak Sokhonn, who has made two trips to Myanmar since the coup, dampened expectations for major progress in the short term.

"I am just a special envoy. I am not a superman," he told reporters in Phnom Penh yesterday.

"I think that even Superman cannot solve the Myanmar problem."

Anger is growing within Asean over Myanmar generals' stonewalling of the peace plan, particularly after the execution last month of four prisoners, including two prominent pro-democracy figures.

The plan, agreed in April last year, calls for an immediate end to violence, and dialogue between the military and the anti-coup movement.

"Issues cannot be solved by one meeting, by two meetings, by many years of meeting," said Mr Prak Sokhonn, who is also Cambodia's foreign minister.

"Negotiation takes years, like the issue in Myanmar.

"After two visits of the special envoy, two visits only, some people start to lose patience and ask for results," he added.

He flagged a possible third trip to Myanmar early next month, contingent upon progress on the five-point plan.

"Especially if - and I say it clearly, publicly - if more executions are conducted, then things would have to be reconsidered," he said.

His remarks built on Friday's joint statement, which emphasised the need for concrete action from the junta ahead of the Asean leaders' summit in November.

Mr Prak Sokhonn must be allowed to meet with "all relevant stakeholders", the statement added, alluding to the junta's decision to block access to deposed leader Aung San Suu Kyi.

Earlier last week, Malaysia, which has led calls for tougher action, indicated that Myanmar could face suspension from the bloc should members not see progress ahead of the leaders' summit.

Meanwhile, Mr Prak Sokhonn said the 55th Asean Foreign Ministers' Meeting and related meetings have successfully concluded in Phnom Penh, with the adoption of some 30 documents on regional cooperation.

"We have reviewed the progress made thus far to strengthen Asean's community building, advance regional integration, and enhance our cooperation with external partners," he told a news conference at the end of the meetings.

He said that over the course of three and a half days, 19 meetings were held back to back, with the participation of foreign ministers and representatives from 38 countries.

He said Asean is committed to ensuring the implementation of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which took effect on Jan 1, "to enhance Asean's attractiveness for trade, investment and global supply chain".

The joint Asean communique said: "RCEP would make significant contribution to our recovery strategy and continue to support an inclusive and open trade and investment architecture in the region."

RCEP comprises 15 Asia-Pacific countries - the 10 Asean member states and their five trading partners China, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand.

The bloc established a market of 2.2 billion people - or 30 per cent of the world's population - with a combined gross domestic product of US$26.2 trillion (S$36.2 trillion), which represents about 30 per cent of the global GDP.

AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE, XINHUA

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on August 07, 2022, with the headline Even Superman can't fix problem in Myanmar: Asean special envoy. Subscribe