ASEAN to defer decision on Myanmar’s return at upcoming summit

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is expected to postpone a decision on whether to allow the return of Myanmar’s leaders and ministers to key political meetings, ASEAN diplomatic sources said on Nov 14.Since a 2021 military coup, Myanmar has been sidelined from the regional bloc’s key summits due to a lack of progress in implementing proposals to end the violence and promote dialogue.ASEAN leaders gathering in Manila for the group’s annual summit meeting starting on Nov 15 were initially expected to make a decision, but the continued detention of Myanmar’s pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, whose civilian government was overthrown in the coup, may have influenced their thinking.ASEAN sees “positive developments” related to Suu Kyi as one of the criteria for Myanmar’s return to key meetings.The leaders are instead now likely to consider a policy of a “gradual return” of political representatives from Myanmar, the sources said.The upcoming ASEAN summit and related meetings will be held in Manila through Nov 17, with world leaders, including Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, US President Donald Trump, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese Premier Li Qiang, expected to join.ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Timor Leste, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. KYODO NEWS