ASEAN Leaders to Review Myanmar's Position at November 15 to 17 Manila Summit, Nearly Five Years After the 2021 Coup
Leaders of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations will meet in Manila, the Philippines, from November 15 to 17 to review Myanmar's position in the bloc, nearly five years after its military leadership was barred from ASEAN leaders' summits following the 2021 coup.
Myanmar has been in turmoil since the 2021 coup led by Min Aung Hlaing, with more than 100,000 people killed in the ensuing conflict, and ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus peace plan has seen limited implementation.
Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Cambodia and Malaysia have all hosted Min Aung Hlaing this year, and Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim pledged in October to work toward Myanmar's reintegration into the bloc.
Thai Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow visited Myanmar on Thursday, proposing that Myanmar's foreign minister first be allowed to attend ASEAN foreign ministers' meetings, and said he hoped a decision on Myanmar's participation would be made by Thailand's 2028 ASEAN chairmanship at the latest.
Philippine Department of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Dominic Xavier Imperial said the leaders would issue a negotiated review document, and Philippine Foreign Secretary and ASEAN special envoy Theresa Lazaro visited Myanmar in October on a humanitarian mission.
Related: Thai Foreign Minister Welcomes Renewed US Engagement With Myanmar Ahead of Manila Summit
Source: Reuters
Published by GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 图：菲律宾国际会议中心内景，东盟领导人会议将在马尼拉举行。Brutalist Pilipinas 摄，维基共享资源 CC0。 / Photo: Interior of the Philippine International Convention Center in Manila. Photo by Brutalist Pilipinas, Wikimedia Commons (CC0).
