Phnom Penh (FN), Feb. 16 – Cambodian prime minister Hun Sen said that it would take between five to 10 years for Myanmar to seek peace, yet he vowed not to give up on resolving the Myanmar crisis as the rotating chair of ASEAN.
The premier spoke at the inauguration for the official use of the seven bridges in Kratie and Prey Veng provinces on Wednesday.
“Seeking peace is not easy. It might take five to 10 years in the case of Myanmar. If both ASEAN chair and the UN secretary-general’s special envoy are criticized for their efforts to resolve Myanmar crisis, how do you expect Myanmar to end the ongoing violence and humanitarian crisis?” the premier asked.
Some media outlets and analysts have criticized premier Hun Sen's recent visit to Myanmar, while a majority showered support.
Cambodian delegate minister Kao Kim Hourn has clarified to the media that premier Hun Sen's visit to Myanmar aimed to reach the Five Point Consensus (5PC) reached at the ASEAN Leaders’ Meeting on 24 April 2021, which include the immediate cessation of violence and for all parties to exercise utmost restraint as well as ensuring the safe and timely delivery of humanitarian assistance to those most in need on the basis of the principles of humanity, neutrality, impartiality and independence.
Kim Hourn continued, “prime minister Hun Sen has brought peace, stability, and development to Cambodia, paving way for a multi-party liberal democracy. The way the kingdom assists Myanmar does not have national benefits, but it is the responsibility of Cambodia as the chair of ASEAN 2022. Myanmar is our ASEAN family member. We must assist her to end violence, uphold ceasefire, and get the special envoy to meet the concerned party, engage in constructive dialogues, and ensure that Myanmar is not isolated from ASEAN.”
Cambodia, as a rotating chair of ASEAN, has informed Myanmar's senior general Min Aung Hlaing that the latter will be invited to the ASEAN Summit if there is a positive progress on the implementation of the ASEAN’s 5PC; and if not, the senior general shall send a non-political Myanmar representative to the meeting.
=FRESH NEWS
