THAILAND’S caretaker government hosted an informal regional peace talk attended by the foreign minister of Myanmar ruling junta but Southeast Asian neighbors so far did not confirm their attendance for today’s meeting, except for Cambodia.
The meeting was hosted by the Thai Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Don Pramudwinai.
Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-O-cha pointed out that the talks is not about taking sides but were necessary to protect his country, as the talks showed the divided stance among ASEAN’s key members.
Thailand shares a long border with Myanmar while the ongoing crisis saw refugees crossing across the border into Thailand and affecting its trade industry.
With Thailand as Myanmar’s closest neighbor, the Southeast Asian country considers it a responsibility to find an urgent solution to the crisis which is also affecting its own border.
Foreign ministers from the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) have agreed to ban Myanmar’s ruling generals from attending the group’s meetings until the organization’s supposed peace plan to address the crisis makes progress.
The peace plan has been declared 15 months ago but still encounters political deadlock.
Meanwhile, Singapore Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan last week said that it is still premature to open high-level talks with Myanmar on the country’s political situation may it be at a summit level or a foreign minister level.
ASEAN members declining to attend the meeting was perceived as a clear indication of their disapproval of the talks while other member states sent junior officials to the event.
