Thai and Cambodian officials meet with Burmese junta

Thai and Cambodian officials have been meeting with the Burmese junta in Myanmar’s capital of Naypyitaw this week. A delegation led by Lieutenant General Apichet Suesat of the Royal Thai Army met with Burmese junta leader Min Aung Hlaing. The 2 parties discussed how to help the Burmese military’s peace talks, and establish stability in Myanmar.

The Thai delegation met with the Burmese government as a Burmese fighter jet was detected yesterday flying over Tak province in northern Thailand. Thailand’s PM Prayut Chan-o-cha said Mynamar has now apologised to Thailand for the incident. Prayut said the incursion was “not a big deal.” The Burmese military told Thailand’s military that it was an accident, and the jet only crossed a small distance into Thailand.

A Cambodian delegation has also been meeting with the Burmese junta this week. The country’s foreign minister Prak Sokhonn has made his second visit to Myanmar as a special envoy of ASEAN.

The Cambodian envoy wrote a letter to the Burmese junta requesting that ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi be allowed to return “to her original place of detention.” However, the UN and human rights groups have demanded that all political prisoners in Myanmar be unconditionally released. Prak Sokhonn was told that he would not be allowed to meet Aung San Suu Kyi on his 5 day trip, which ends today.

ASEAN has established a “5 Point Consensus” on Myanmar. The demands are an immediate halt to violence, engagement between all parties involved, the designation of a special ASEAN envoy, humanitarian aid, and a visit to Myanmar by the special envoy and a group to meet with all relevant parties. So far, the Burmese junta government has not made progress on these points.

SOURCE: Mizzima | Bangkok Post