The Philippines, as current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, has hosted a meeting of what it described as “important political groups” from military-ruled Myanmar, in an attempt to inject momentum into ASEAN’s stalled peace initiative. Philippine officials said the talks were aimed at advancing the bloc’s Five-Point Consensus, agreed in 2021 to help resolve Myanmar’s political crisis.
Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, who this year assumed the role of ASEAN’s special envoy to Myanmar, said the discussions focused on de-escalation of violence, humanitarian access and the promotion of political dialogue.
Stakeholder Engagement
The meeting, held in Tagaytay, followed Lazaro’s recent visit to Myanmar, where she met junta leader Min Aung Hlaing in what Manila described as a constructive exchange. Philippine officials confirmed that Myanmar’s military government was not represented at the stakeholder talks, though they declined to identify participants at their request.
At least one armed opposition group, the Chin National Front, confirmed its attendance and described the meeting as a positive step, praising ASEAN’s new chair for engaging multiple sides early in its term.
Conflict and Humanitarian Crisis
Myanmar has been engulfed in conflict since the military seized power in a 2021 coup that crushed a popular protest movement and triggered a nationwide civil war. Fighting continues across large parts of the country despite limited improvements in humanitarian access. According to the United Nations, thousands have been killed and 3.6 million people displaced, making the crisis one of the most severe in Asia.
Previous ASEAN efforts have struggled to gain traction, although Malaysia, last year’s chair, had expressed cautious optimism that broader engagement could eventually yield progress.
Elections and Regional Skepticism
The meeting comes as Myanmar presses ahead with a phased general election, with two rounds already completed and results indicating victories for parties aligned with the military. While the junta has portrayed the vote as a step toward stability, turnout has been low and ASEAN has not sent observers.
Critics, including Western governments, have dismissed the election as an attempt to entrench military rule through civilian proxies. Neither the junta nor Myanmar’s shadow National Unity Government immediately commented on the Philippines-hosted talks.
With information from Reuters.
