JAKARTA, INDONESIA – The European Union (EU) has voiced its opposition to Myanmar’s upcoming role as the coordinator of relations between the EU and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). The EU’s stance reaffirms its non-recognition of Myanmar’s military government, which seized power from the elected government of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1, 2021, triggering a period of turmoil in the country.
During a meeting with ASEAN foreign ministers in Jakarta, Josep Borrell, the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs, expressed concern over Myanmar assuming the role of ASEAN coordinator for EU relations. Borrell stated, “We don’t recognize the military junta, and perhaps you will find a solution to overcome this issue.”
The comments from the EU’s top diplomat mark the latest diplomatic fallout following the military coup in Myanmar. While the reaction from ASEAN foreign ministers was not immediately known, discussions within the regional bloc are reportedly taking place to prevent disruptions in trade and geopolitical relations between ASEAN and the EU.
The EU, along with the United States and other Western governments, has imposed sanctions on Myanmar’s military government and called for an immediate end to violence, as well as the release of Suu Kyi and other political detainees.
Under ASEAN’s system, a member state is assigned to oversee trade, political, and security relations with each external partner for a period of three years. The Philippines currently coordinates ASEAN-EU relations, and Myanmar is scheduled to take over the role next year.
Possible options being considered by ASEAN ministers include assigning Laos, which will assume the regional group’s rotational chairmanship next year, to coordinate ties with the EU. It is worth noting that ASEAN also does not recognize Myanmar’s military government and has prohibited military-appointed representatives from participating in high-level meetings.
Since the military takeover, security forces in Myanmar have killed more than 3,750 civilians, including pro-democracy activists, and arrested nearly 24,000 individuals, according to the Assistance Association for Political Prisoners.
While Myanmar’s military leaders have not granted access to Suu Kyi for ASEAN’s special envoy, Thailand’s foreign minister recently stated that he had met with Suu Kyi and that she expressed her willingness to engage in talks to address the crisis in the country.
The EU’s rejection of Myanmar’s diplomatic role and its continued non-recognition of the military government highlight the ongoing international pressure on Myanmar’s junta, as efforts to restore democracy and address the humanitarian crisis in the country persist.