Myanmar refutes ASEAN's claim on lack of progress in implementing 5PC

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar said the claim stated in the paragraph on "Developments in Myanmar" in the Joint Communique of the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM-55), released Friday, has neglected Myanmar's efforts on the implementation of 5PC.

"Myanmar never fails in its endeavors to find peace and tranquility in the country while closely and constructively cooperating with special envoy of the current ASEAN Chair in the implementation of the 5PC.

"Ongoing peace efforts led by the Chairman of the State Administration Council himself (Sr Gen.Min Aung Hlaing) is a notable progress.

"Therefore, ASEAN should avoid any one-sided assessment on the implementation of the 5PC. Progress of implementation of ASEAN five-point consensus should be assessed in objective and fair manner based on the factual updates and situation on the ground," it said.

The statement was published along with Myanmar's own five-point plan "Five Point Road Map of the State Administration Council" on the state-run Global New Light of Myanmar on Saturday.

On Friday, ASEAN Foreign Ministers said they were 'deeply disappointed' by the limited progress and lack of commitment of the Myanmar junta in implementing the 5PC that was agreed in April 2021.

The bloc also said that the ASEAN Summit in November is to assess the progress towards the implementation of the 5PC by the State Administration Council to guide the decision on the next steps.

On Aug 2, Myanmar's military chief Sr Gen Min Aung Hlaing had said that some points of the 5PC agreed upon with ASEAN to end the country's ongoing crisis will be implemented this year.

Meanwhile, in the statement ,the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar also said ASEAN should respect the right of every member state by refraining from interfering in internal affairs of fellow member states.

"ASEAN should also respect Myanmar's efforts to manage its internal affairs in line with the State Constitution (2008), existing law and regulations of one country.

"Myanmar believes that ASEAN can maintain its unity and centrality in the long-term only if all ASEAN member states respect the provisions and basic principles of ASEAN Charter, especially equality, inclusiveness, sovereignty and non-interference in the internal affairs of ASEAN member States," it said in a statement.

The ministry also strongly objected the joint statement issued by ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR) representatives of Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, Thailand and Singapore and some ASEAN member states' expressing their concerns on the execution of four criminals as they were incorrectly referred them as "political activists".

The statement said Myanmar would continue to implement its own Five-Point Future Plan and will also constructively cooperate with ASEAN while adhering to the important principles enshrined in the ASEAN Charter and in line with ASEAN practices.

Myanmar's Foreign Minister Wunna Maung Lwin was not invited to Phnom Penh to attend AMM-55 while Min Aung Hlaing also snubbed at last year's leaders' summit.

Myanmar's military took power in a coup in February 1, 2021 and detained elected leader Aung San Suu Kyi and political activists. Since the coup led by Gen. Hlaing, at least 2114 people have been killed in Myanmar in the campaign to suppress the widespread opposition to military rule.