The European Union (EU) top diplomat expressed opposition to Myanmar’s role as a watchdog for relations between the 27-member bloc and Southeast Asian countries, Thursday (13/7/2023). Moreover, they reiterated that they do not recognize the military government in Myanmar.
The remarks marked the latest diplomatic fallout from the Myanmar army’s forced seizure of power from Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected government. The military coup on February 1, 2021 has plunged Myanmar into deadly chaos.
Josep Borrell, the EU’s top representative for foreign affairs, raised these concerns during a meeting with foreign ministers of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) in Jakarta. As many as 10 ASEAN countries gathered in this forum.
“We face challenges regarding Myanmar’s potential to serve as ASEAN coordinator for relations with the European Union,” Borrell told his ASEAN counterparts at the start of their meeting.
“We do not recognize the military junta and maybe you will find a solution to this problem,” he was quoted as saying by The Associated Press.
There was no immediate reaction from the foreign ministers but a Southeast Asian diplomat who attended the meeting told The Associated Press that concerns raised by the EU were being discussed within ASEAN to prevent any disruption in the strong trade and geopolitical ties between the two regional blocs.
The diplomat spoke on condition of anonymity due to a lack of authority to discuss the matter publicly.
The European Union, the United States and other Western governments have imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s military government and are demanding an immediate end to the violence and the release of Suu Kyi and other political prisoners.
ASEAN tasked its member states with overseeing trade, political and security relations with every world power with which it has relations, including the European Union, for three years. The Philippines currently coordinates ASEAN-EU relations and is slated to be replaced by Myanmar next year.
ASEAN also does not recognize Myanmar’s military government and has barred military-appointed representatives from attending the group’s top-level ASEAN meetings, including those hosted this week by Indonesia.
More than 3,750 civilians, including pro-democracy activists, have been killed by security forces and nearly 24,000 arrested since the military coup, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners, a rights group that tallies arrest and casualty figures.
Source : Kompas
