The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has called on Myanmar to sincerely accept and implement the Five-Point Consensus agreed by the member state leaders to address the crisis in the country.

“ASEAN is a family, and what we are doing to Myanmar is nothing more than a family helping one of its members. Hence, we would also like to see, on the other hand, Myanmar be sincere as well to welcome the ASEAN member states to help them,” Permanent Representative of Indonesia to the ASEAN Ade Padmo Sarwono stated during a webinar on “Myanmar Crisis and the Future of ASEAN” here on Tuesday.

However, Sarwono revealed that the ASEAN had yet to witness any significant progress in the implementation of the Five-Point Consensus.

“It is very difficult that if someone wants to lend his hand, but the other one does not accept it sincerely. It is difficult to find ways out for solving this matter,” he pointed out.

Myanmar is viewed as not being committed to making peace in the country, and the ASEAN did not receive good responses from the country pertaining to the Five-Point Consensus.

“We are not trying to alienate Myanmar, in fact, it has been mentioned that Myanmar alienates itself,” he highlighted.

However, Sarwono stated that the ASEAN has varying experiences in dealing with such an issue, so it had decided to open doors for Myanmar to engage in dialog.

“Sometimes, we are slow, but this is the process we have to go through with gradual approaches, and we need Myanmar to open up with the ASEAN’s efforts,” he noted.

Regardless of the absence of Myanmar representatives in the ASEAN Summit couple of weeks ago, ASEAN upholds cohesiveness among the member states.

“We are ready to continue to engage with Myanmar to also communicate with the authority there. ASEAN is still open and is willing to be ready whenever Myanmar is ready,” he remarked.

Currently, the association is giving time and space for Myanmar to resolve its domestic issues, he added.

Source: Antara News