Cambodia's foreign minister on Saturday defended Prime Minister Hun Sen's trip to Myanmar, though there was little evidence the mission yielded any immediate breakthrough, reports AP.
Talks between Hun Sen and Myanmar's leader achieved “a very good, positive result with a progressive step forward" on the implementation of peace efforts agreed to by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn told reporters.
“If there is anyone who opposes progressing these negotiations and the agreements like this, it is only those people who love war, those people who do not want to see Myanmar return to stability and peace,” said Prak Sokhonn, ASEAN's special envoy to Myanmar, after returning home with Hun Sen from the 24-hour trip.
According to the report, the Hun Sen talks were described as “frank and candid” and that junta leader Min Aung Hlaing was extending a cease-fire until the end of the year, and that both leaders would push for a meeting of stakeholders on delivering humanitarian aid, AP reported.
The case of Australian Sean Turnell, a former economic adviser to Aung San Suu Kyi who is on trial in Myanmar on charges of violating state secrets, was brought up. Min Aung Hlaing reportedly said the case is in the court and once that process is finished, he will consider it, promising to get back to Hun Sen with positive news.
On his arrival on Friday, Hun Sen was greeted by an honour guard and red carpet in Naypyitaw, as protests by coup opponents broke out across the country concerning fears his trip would provide more legitimacy to the brutal ruling junta.
Hun Sen's two-day visit was the first by a head of government since the Myanmar military overthrew the elected civilian administration of Aung San Suu Kyi on February 1 last year, prompting months of protests and a bloody crackdown by the junta in response.
Min Aung Hlaing was barred from attending an ASEAN summit for his failure to cease hostilities, allow humanitarian access and start dialogue, as agreed with ASEAN, part of an agree five-point plan, currently sitting idle.
Indonesian President Joko Widodo spoke with Hun Sen on the phone this week. In messages on Twitter, he said if there was no significant progress on the peace plan only non-political representatives from Myanmar should be allowed at ASEAN meetings.
Numerous NGOs and commentators criticized the visit of Hun Sen to Myanmar, concerned over whether it represented the wishes of ASEAN and might give succor to the junta. Some ASEAN leaders privately expressed concern that Hun Sen was not consulting with other ASEAN leaders and was acting like a lone cowboy in his outreach to the Myanmar military junta.
Additional reporting Mizzima, Reuters
