BANGKOK (AP) — Thailand on Monday will host a meeting of neighboring countries to discuss the violent political deadlock in Myanmar, an initiative that has been criticized for potentially undermining regional peace efforts and for being carried out by a caretaker government.
A statement released Sunday by Thailand’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the purpose of its informal dialogue, being hosted by Thailand for the third time, is to discuss a range of topics to complement the efforts by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations to resolve the situation in Myanmar.
It said it will will be attended by representatives from Laos, Cambodia, India, China, Brunei and Vietnam, as well as Myanmar — a highly contentious issue because ASEAN leaders had agreed to exclude the ruling generals from their meetings.
Malaysia, Indonesia and Singapore are among ASEAN…
