Southeast Asian leaders have begun their annual summit without a representative from Myanmar, after its top general was barred over the military’s failure to follow a regional peace deal.
Neither Brunei, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) chair, nor the bloc’s secretary-general made a mention of the no-show in opening remarks at Tuesday’s virtual meeting.
In an unprecedented move, ASEAN on October 15 agreed to exclude Myanmar’s military chief Min Aung Hlaing, who toppled a civilian government on February 1, over his failure to implement a peace process he agreed with ASEAN in April towards ending the bloody political crisis triggered by the coup.
The move was a rare bold step by a regional grouping known for its non-interference and engagement.
ASEAN is made up of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and…
