The Irrawaddy

Myanmar’s military regime has issued a statement rejecting ASEAN’s peace plan, only weeks after its foreign minister told regional counterparts the agreement “still exists”. The contradiction has deepened confusion over Naypyitaw’s position and reinforced doubts about its willingness to engage with the bloc’s roadmap.

The Union Parliament voted on 9 July to dismiss the Five‑Point Consensus (5PC), arguing it undermined sovereignty. On Thursday, the Foreign Ministry said the government was bound by that motion, pledging instead to pursue a “Myanmar‑owned and Myanmar‑led process”. Yet earlier this month, Foreign Minister Tin Maung Swe assured ASEAN colleagues in Bangkok that the consensus remained valid.

Philippine Foreign Minister Maria Theresa Lazaro, who chaired the ASEAN retreat, told reporters the minister had “denied” the parliamentary rejection and defended the 5PC. “We are of the view that the Five‑Point Consensus is still there,” she said, adding that Myanmar’s return to high‑level ASEAN meetings was “still far off”.

Adopted in 2021, the 5PC calls for an end to violence, inclusive dialogue, humanitarian aid and envoy access. Myanmar’s generals have ignored it, prompting ASEAN to bar them from summits. Lazaro said benchmarks would now be set to measure compliance, with failure constituting non‑implementation.

ASEAN ministers also discussed appointing a permanent special envoy, replacing the current rotating system. Lazaro plans a humanitarian mission later this year, though access to detained leader Daw Aung San Suu Kyi remains uncertain.

Regional leaders continue to insist the consensus is ASEAN’s only roadmap. Singapore’s Vivian Balakrishnan reiterated calls for an end to violence and the release of political prisoners, while Indonesia stressed the plan’s importance to ASEAN’s credibility.

“The regime will not compromise, and ASEAN will not abandon the consensus. That leaves Myanmar’s politics at a deadlock,” said U Teik Naing of the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.

Coup leader Min Aung Hlaing is due in Thailand in early August, with Bangkok pledging to act as a bridge between ASEAN and Myanmar’s generals. For now, however, the regime’s contradictory signals suggest little progress towards peace.

-2026-07-27

I think it is time for the ASEAN community to decide on Myanmar's continued membership in its member states.