ASEAN team to visit Naypyidaw on Sept 19

A four-member ASEAN team will visit Naypyidaw on Sept 19 to meet with the leaders of the newly established Peace and Security Commission on issues related to the planned election and the implementation of the ASEAN peace process, according to informed diplomatic sources.

At the end of July, the State Administration Council (SAC), which ran the country for the past four and a half years, resolved to give way to the State Security and Peace Commission (SSPC). It was part of the regime’s long-planned political transition.

The SSPC, which is chaired by Senior General Min Aung Hlaing, was set up under the National Defence and Security Council (NDSC). The SAC renewed the 6-month state of emergency eight times since it seized power in February 2021.

Last week, Naypyidaw announced that the election will take place on Dec 28, without any further details. Earlier information indicated that the elections will be carried out in phases between Dec 28 and Jan 17, according to the sources.

The polls will be conducted in at least 267 of the country’s 330 townships, the sources said, adding that additional constituencies could be added as the election dates draw near. At the moment, 63 areas are still under the state of emergency as resistance forces are still active.

At the recent ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting in July, the bloc agreed to send an ASEAN team, comprising foreign ministers from Malaysia, Indonesia, the Lao PDR, and Thailand, to hold talks with Senior General Min Aung Hlaing. The delegation will be led by Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan.

"It will be the most important working visit by the ASEAN team as it will determine what the bloc will do next, especially regarding the elections," said one of the sources.

ASEAN leaders also reaffirmed the Five-Point Consensus as the main reference to address the Myanmar quagmire. Naypyidaw has been criticized by ASEAN members for failure to fully implement the 5-PC.

Under the Malaysian chair, Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has pursued dialogue with all the stakeholders, including the National Unity Government and armed ethnic groups fighting against the regime.