ASIA/THAILAND - Ceasefire and peace in Myanmar: "ASEAN must play a key role in resolving the crisis in Myanmar"

Bangkok (Agenzia Fides) - Thailand will host two regional meetings on the current situation in Myanmar, one of which will also include representatives of the ruling military junta in Myanmar: the official announcement by the Thai government states that Thai Foreign Minister Maris Sangiampongsa will hold "separate consultations" on December 19 and 20, part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) efforts to find a way out of the crisis that has gripped Myanmar since the military coup in 2021. The meeting on December 19, which will focus on border security and transnational crime, will be attended by representatives of China, India, Bangladesh, Laos and Thailand - all countries that border Myanmar - as well as representatives of the Burmese government. The talks are intended to discuss possible steps for a ceasefire in the civil war. Meanwhile, a meeting at the level of ASEAN foreign ministers is planned for December 20, at which the well-known "five-point plan" agreed upon by the ASEAN member states will also be discussed. "ASEAN must play a key role in resolving the crisis in Myanmar," confirmed Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra. Thailand, meanwhile, is working closely with Malaysia in particular and is trying to use diplomatic means and methods to initiate a stable dialogue between the parties to resolve the conflict. Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim, who will take over the ASEAN presidency in 2025, has also committed to implementing the ASEAN peace plan, which has not made much progress since it was presented in April 2021. "We are activating informal dialogues at various levels to ensure Myanmar's participation and bring the issue of peace back to the forefront of ASEAN," confirms Anwar. At a summit in Laos last October, ASEAN already called for an "immediate end" to the violence and the creation of a "favorable environment for the delivery of humanitarian aid" and the activation of a "comprehensive national dialogue" in Myanmar. So far, the "five-point plan" proposed by the ten ASEAN members had not found support from either the Burmese government or opposition groups. However, according to analysts, the country's ruling military junta could be open to talks to reach a ceasefire and an agreement after recent defeats on the ground and the merger of rebel movements and ethnic militias in Myanmar. (PA) (Agenzia Fides, 16/12/2024)

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