TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi claimed Indonesia has developed the foundation to resolve the Myanmar conflict through its chairmanship in ASEAN.

Minister Retno said that in the nine months as the ASEAN chair, Indonesia has silently carried out efforts to resolve the crisis. Around 145 meetings with all stakeholders including the Myanmar junta, the National Unity Government (NUG), and ethnical groups have been conducted by Indonesia, including ones attended personally by the foreign minister.

"The conflict is impossible to resolve in almost a year. But at least, [in 2023], the foundation [to resolve the crisis] has been established," said Minister Retno during an exclusive interview with Tempo in her office today, August 29, 2023.

"Hopefully, Indonesia's effort will be resumed by Laos (the ASEAN Chair next year). Very unfortunate to stop [the efforts] since it was not easy to bridge a meeting for the stakeholders," she said.

Myanmar has succumbed to violence and economic instability since the junta took over the government in the 2021 coup. Tatmadaw, the military force in Myanmar, used force against their opponents, some of whom formed the NUG abroad during their self-induced exile. The others joined forces with the insurgents across the country, affiliating with the NUG and several ethnical minority groups' militias.

The Southeast Asian bloc has banned the Myanmar junta from attending summits since late 2021, not until the bloc sees a significant development in resolving the conflict.

Indonesia's initiative to involve all the stakeholders in the Myanmar crisis in dialogues is ASEAN's first significant effort to put the conflict to a stop.

Indonesia strives to push for the implementation of the five-point consensus, the agreement between the Myanmar junta and the ASEAN bloc inked two years prior.

Tempo is not yet able to reach the military junta and ethnic groups in Myanmar to comment on the recent development in their country. Meanwhile, the electronic mail sent to the communication team of the NUG president concerning Myanmar issues and Indonesia's chairmanship to ASEAN has received no replies.

ASEAN's priority still lies with the consensus

ASEAN leaders have been left exasperated by the junta for their failure to implement the five-point consensus. The consensus calls for an immediate end to all violence, constructive dialogue among all parties, appointment of a special envoy of the ASEAN chair, humanitarian assistance, and a visit to Myanmar by the ASEAN special envoy.

A few months prior, Thailand called for the bloc to welcome the military junta back into the fold and claims to have met with Aung San Suu Kyi, the exiled leader of Myanmar. Several parties believed Thailand's maneuver disparaged ASEAN's efforts under Indonesia's leadership.

The five-point consensus will continue to be the main reference to resolve the crisis, Minister Retno said, alluding to the bloc to unite. She highlights that Indonesia's endeavor as the ASEAN chair only has a supportive role in ending the conflict while the true deciding forces are the stakeholders in Myanmar.

While discussing the ASEAN summit in Jakarta next week, Retno emphasized to Tempo, that in accordance with the mandate agreed upon by the bloc leaders, the bloc will continue to discuss the implementation of the five-point consensus. Albeit, the summit will not point to specific parts of the consensus.

Around 22 countries, including the members and dialogue partners, and 9 international organizations will participate in the summit next week in Jakarta on September 5-7, 2023. Myanmar junta is still not allowed to attend the summit.

Aside from the Myanmar issue, the ASEAN summit will discuss the regional tension between major powers, such as the US and China. The summit is expected to discuss the plan for economic actions in various fields including holding the ASEAN Outlook on the Indo-Pacific forum.

DANIEL A. FAJRI

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