Myanmar leaders’ return to ASEAN meetings ‘still far off’, bloc’s envoy says
ASEAN leaders are unlikely to welcome Myanmar’s military-led government back to high-level regional meetings anytime soon, according to the bloc’s special envoy. Philippine Foreign Minister Maria Theresa Lazaro said Myanmar’s progress in implementing ASEAN’s Five-Point Consensus is still under review, with ongoing violence and political instability remaining major concerns. Since the 2021 military coup, ASEAN has barred Myanmar’s junta leaders from its summits while continuing diplomatic efforts to encourage a peaceful resolution to the country’s crisis.