Kuala Lumpur, Jan 19 (EFE).- The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) appointed Malaysian diplomat Tan Sri Othman Hashim as its new special envoy to Myanmar, the bloc said on Sunday, amid the country’s ongoing political crisis and armed conflict.
Othman Hashim, who previously served as secretary-general of Malaysia’s foreign ministry, becomes ASEAN’s fifth envoy to Myanmar since the military seized power in a coup in 2021.
ASEAN appointed the envoy during the bloc’s meeting of foreign ministers and senior officials in Malaysia, Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan said in a press conference.
Myanmar’s permanent secretary for foreign affairs, Aung Kyaw Moe, also attended the summit.
The decision comes as Myanmar’s junta prepares for elections it has promised to hold later this year. However, Hasan emphasized that elections are not the immediate priority.
“One thing we know is that they (Myanmar) want to hold elections, but we told them elections are not a priority at the moment,” Hasan said.
He said that any elections must be inclusive if they are to take place.
“We called on all parties to cease hostilities immediately, prioritize humanitarian access, and foster an environment for inclusive dialogue.”
ASEAN hopes the envoy will accelerate progress on implementing the Five-Point Consensus, a plan agreed with the junta in April 2021 to address the crisis.
The plan calls for an end to violence, inclusive dialogue, and unhindered humanitarian aid across the country.
ASEAN, which includes Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Brunei, and Myanmar, adheres to a policy of non-interference but aims to mediate dialogue among Myanmar’s conflicting parties.
However, previous envoys have made limited progress in achieving these objectives.
It remains uncertain whether Othman Hashim will travel to Myanmar amid the ongoing political instability and clashes between the military, pro-democracy groups, and ethnic militias.
The military junta, which overthrew Myanmar’s civilian government in 2021, initially promised elections for 2024 but has now postponed them to an unspecified date in 2025.
Observers warn that the proposed elections lack the necessary guarantees to be considered free or fair.
The coup ended a decade of democratic transition and plunged Myanmar into a severe political and economic crisis. Violence has escalated, with pro-democracy groups allying with ethnic militias, further exacerbating long-standing ethnic conflicts in the country. EFE
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