Myanmar's junta has threatened to cut ties with Australia due to the snub

[ASEAN NOW Content Team]

 

Myanmar's junta threatened to sever diplomatic ties with Australia on Thursday after Canberra refused to replace the military-run country's recently-departed ambassador.

Western governments have led worldwide condemnation of Aung San Suu Kyi's government's overthrow and deadly crackdown on dissent last year, with some implementing sanctions and meeting with opposition groups.

 

Canberra will not replace ambassador Andrea Faulkner, who concluded her term in April, and will instead send a senior official to operate as charge d'affaires, according to Australian media on Monday.

At a press conference on Thursday, Chan Aye, permanent secretary of the regime's foreign affairs ministry, said Canberra had informed the junta of the decision.

'As a result, we're working on having a charge d'affaires administer the Myanmar embassy in Australia,' he said, without specifying if Myanmar will withdraw its ambassador or downgrade their standing.

The Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has been approached for comment by AFP.

 

Rights organisations blasted a meeting between outgoing Faulkner and junta leader Min Aung Hlaing in April as giving the military legitimacy.

It also came with the prosecution of detained Australian academic Sean Turnell in a junta court, where he faces 14 years in prison for breaking the country's official secrets legislation.

Britain's recent downgrading of its mission in the country, according to Chan Aye, is 'unacceptable.'
According to the British foreign ministry website, Peter Vowles was appointed as ambassador in July but is currently charge d'affaires.

 

On his current status, Vowles, who is now outside Myanmar, will not be allowed to return, according to Chan Aye.

Former president and head of state Win Myint is currently on trial alongside Suu Kyi in a junta court.

According to sources in state media, newly arriving ambassadors from India and Saudi Arabia handed their credentials to Min Aung Hlaing.

Former Australian ambassador to Myanmar Christopher Lamb told AFP that any downgrade of ties by Canberra would not be surprising, and that several other nations had not nominated new diplomats since the putsch.

 

'You have to decide whether making this judgement will have an impact on Sean Turnell's circumstances, and they have probably come to the conclusion, which I believe is sensible, that it won't.'

The junta has turned to longstanding allies for backing after being shunned by Western countries. These include Russia and China.

It has backed its key friend and armaments supplier by calling Russia's invasion of Ukraine "legitimate."

On the international scene, the junta is becoming increasingly isolated, with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen being the only foreign leader to visit since the coup.