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'Still a thorny issue': Marcos admits ASEAN frustration over Myanmar crisis
'Still a thorny issue': Marcos admits ASEAN frustration over Myanmar crisis
LAPU-LAPU CITY, Cebu — President Marcos acknowledged growing frustration among Southeast Asian leaders over the lack of progress in resolving the crisis in Myanmar, describing the issue as a “thorny problem” with no clear solution yet.
Speaking to reporters on the sidelines of the 48th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit here, Marcos revealed that Myanmar became one of the major topics during the leaders’ closed-door retreat session, where several member-states expressed disappointment over the stalled peace process.
“One of the big subjects that was taken up was Myanmar,” he said on Friday, May 8.
“And I believe that many of the members aired their frustration about the lack of progress in the process of normalizing the situation in Myanmar,” he added.
The President said ASEAN leaders agreed that more must be done to move the process forward.
“We all agree that we would like to see more progress,” Marcos said.
“We all agree that we all should try very hard to find ways to shift what has become a moribund process right now. It is not moving,” he added.
‘Nano-shift’ in ASEAN approach
Marcos said there appeared to be a “nano-shift” in how ASEAN members are approaching the Myanmar issue, although no concrete changes have yet been agreed upon.
“So it's still a thorny problem for which we cannot say that there are obvious solutions,” he said.
“But there has been a nano-shift, perhaps, in the approach to the situation in Myanmar,” he added.
The President clarified that ASEAN is not abandoning its principles, including respect for human rights, rule of law, and the Five-Point Consensus on Myanmar.
“We do not abandon ASEAN Centrality. We do not abandon the respect for human rights. We do not abandon the humanitarian disaster, the concern for humanitarian disaster,” Marcos said.
Humanitarian crisis continues
According to the President, the continuing violence and instability in Myanmar remain a major concern for ASEAN.
“There is a humanitarian disaster that is going on, there is continued fighting going on, there is impending – there is a low-level civil war still going on,” he said.
He noted that while Myanmar previously agreed to the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus, little progress has been achieved in implementing it.
“Despite the adoption of the Five-Point Consensus, we have not seen any progress in Myanmar,” Marcos said.
Myanmar still part of ‘ASEAN family’
Despite the lack of positive developments on the ongoing crisis, Marcos stressed that ASEAN continues to recognize Myanmar as a member-state.
“There is no need to further recognize Myanmar. The government of Myanmar has been recognized, and that's why Myanmar is a Member State,” he said.
The President became emotional when describing Myanmar’s situation within ASEAN.
“Myanmar is not merely a trade partner. Myanmar is not merely a friend to ASEAN. Myanmar is part of the ASEAN family,” he said.
“And it is a tragedy when a family member is left out of the family for whatever reason,” he added.
Foreign ministers tasked
President Marcos said ASEAN leaders agreed to task their foreign ministers with exploring new ideas and possible approaches to help restart the stalled process.
“These things will not be decided now,” Marcos said.
“But we will go away and try and find — maybe think about what can be done to improve the process and to start to see some progress in that process of normalizing the situation in Myanmar,” he added.