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Leaders from some 50 Asian and European countries called on Myanmar Friday to return to the democratic transition that was halted by a military coup, release arbitrarily detained prisoners, and accept a Southeast Asian envoy to mediate the 10-month-old political crisis.<\/P>
Association of Southeast Asian Nations member Myanmar did not attend the two-day virtual Asia-Europe Meeting — the third time the ASEAN had sidelined junta leader Sr. Gen. Min Aung Hlaing over the violence and repression in the wake of the Feb. 1 overthrow of the country\u2019s elected government.<\/P>
\u201cLeaders expressed deep concerns on the situation in Myanmar and affirmed their strong support for ASEAN\u2019s efforts to de-escalate the crisis,\u201d the group said in a statement after the meeting, hosted by Cambodia, the 2022 ASEAN chair.<\/P>
\u201cThey called on all parties concerned in Myanmar to engage in peaceful dialogue, immediately cease violence in Myanmar and exercise utmost restraint; and called Myanmar for the early release of all those arbitrarily detained, including foreigners, and return to the path of democratic transition, national reconciliation and sustainable development,\u201d said the statement.<\/P>
The sticking point \u2013 which also kept Myanmar out of an ASEAN-China special summit this week and the ten-member bloc\u2019s leaders\u2019 meeting in Brunei last month — was the military regime\u2019s failure to honor a pledge made last April to allow an ASEAN special envoy to meet deposed civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi and lawmakers ousted in February\u2019s coup.<\/P>
Friday\u2019s statement said the ASEM leaders \u201curged Myanmar to facilitate the visit of the ASEAN Special Envoy to meet all parties concerned.\u201d<\/P>
Asked about the sub of Min Aung Hlaing by ASEAN, Maj. Gen. Zaw Min Tun, the junta spokesman told RFA: \u201cOur stand is clear that if the one who truly and rightfully represents the nation is not allowed to attend, we won\u2019t attend it,\u201d<\/P>
\u201cIf there were objections regarding the one who represents the nation, or he were not allow to attend, or it treats us with downgraded status, we have no reason to attend,\u201d he added.<\/P>
The civilian death toll since the military takeover is nearly 1,300 while more than 7,000 people remained detained, according to the Thailand-based Assistance Association for Political Prisoners. Hundreds of thousands are internally displaced in the country of 54 million people, amid food shortages and the coronavirus pandemic.<\/P>
South China Sea<\/P>
The Asian and European leaders, making the 25th year of the grouping, did not specifically refer to territorial disputes in the South China Sea, but stated a shared commitment to \u201cmaintaining peace, stability and ensuring maritime security and safety, to uphold freedom of navigation and overflight, unimpeded economic activities\u201d at sea.<\/P>
The summit statement, which did not mention China, urged nations to act in \u201cfull compliance with international law, in particular the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS), in the interest of all.\u201d<\/P>
At a leaders retreat Friday, Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte brought up the issue of the South China Sea for the second time in a week.<\/P>
He did not mention China or Beijing by name, but his comments came after he publicly rebuked China at an ASEAN-China meeting on Monday for Chinese coast guard ships firing a water cannon on Filipino supply boats in the South China Sea.<\/P>
ASEAM leaders\u2019 renewed commitment to open and inclusive multilateralism and the rule of law as \u201cexactly what we need in this time of profound change and uncertainty,\u201d Duterte said.<\/P>
\u201cNowhere is this more evident than in the Asia-Pacific. Ours is a region that is full of promise but fraught with potential flashpoints. These include disputes in one of the world\u2019s most important sea lanes of communication,\u201d a statement issued by the president\u2019s office quoted him as saying.<\/P>
\u201cThere can be no other acceptable basis for a just maritime order but the law, particularly the 1982 United Nations Convention on the law of the sea,\u201d he said.<\/P>
ASEAN members Brunei, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Vietnam \u2013 as well as Taiwan \u2013 all claim parts of the South China Sea but China cites historical rights to almost 90 percent of the sea despite rejection by international law.<\/P>
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Copyright \u00a9 1998-2016, RFA. Used with the permission of Radio Free Asia, 2025 M St. NW, Suite 300, Washington DC 20036Radio Free Europe–Copyright (c) 2015. RFE\/RL, Inc. Reprinted with the permission of Radio Free Europe\/Radio Liberty, 1201 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste 400, Washington DC 20036. <\/P>
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