Who will take Myanmar seat at summit after Asean snub?

Regional bloc’s chair Brunei may let junta pick its ‘non-political’ representative, say analysts

- Tan Hui Yee Indochina Bureau Chief

To project legitimacy, Myanmar’s military regime has scrupulously broadcast images of its meetings with foreign leaders since it seized power on Feb 1.

So it is a slap in the face now that junta chief Min Aung Hlaing is excluded from the Asean leaders’ summit from Oct 26 to 28.

The unprecedented decision on Friday evening restores some credibility to Asean, which had been accused of recognising a brutal regime against the will of Myanmar’s majority. Yet it also raises more questions.

In a statement issued a day after the emergency foreign ministers’ meeting, Asean chair Brunei noted concerns that the junta appeared to be dragging its feet in resolving Myanmar’s crisis based on an earlier Five-Point Consensus agreement.

“As there had been insufficient progress... as well as concerns over Myanmar’s commitment, in particular, on establishing constructive dialogue among all concerned parties, some Asean member states recommended that Asean give space to Myanmar to restore its internal affairs and return to normalcy,” Brunei said in the statement yesterday.

“The meeting accepted the decision to invite a non-political representative from Myanmar to the upcoming summits,” it said.

It was a face-saving way of dis-inviting Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. But it also flew in the face of reality in Myanmar, where there is little “non-political” space.