Prime Minister Hun Sen hit back at critics of his planned visit to Myanmar in January to meet General Min Aung Hlaing, chairman of the ruling State Administration Council (SAC), in a bid to bring the country back into the good graces of the other ASEAN member states through a settlement of the ongoing political crisis there.

Earlier this month, Hun Sen announced his intention to visit Myanmar’s capital city of Naypyidaw on January 7-8, but his efforts to find a solution to the crisis and bring ASEAN back to full strength as a 10-member bloc have come under criticism, with some saying his visit would “indicate recognition” of the provisional government.

Speaking at the inauguration of the new administrative building for the General Department of Customs and Excise on December 23, Hun Sen reiterated that his visit is to seek solutions based on the five-point consensus ASEAN issued on April 24 due to the international community’s concerns over the increasingly violent conflict taking place there.

Hun Sen said he will visit Myanmar both as Cambodian prime minister and as chairman of ASEAN with a primary goal of ending the violence there and saving lives.

“Has your country cut diplomatic ties with Myanmar already? That is a question that needs to be answered. Before pointing fingers at me, you need to ask yourselves what exactly it is that you think you are doing to help,” he said, without naming critics or countries critical of the planned visit.

“If you feel that strongly about it, then cut your diplomatic ties with Myanmar. If you don’t, then don’t come and try to blame me for trying to help. And if you cut your diplomatic ties with Myanmar, that’s your right to do so – but I intend to keep Cambodia’s embassy there open, as is our right as a sovereign state,” he said.

No country in or outside of ASEAN has officially sever diplomatic relations with Myanmar over the crisis thus far, though such measures have been proposed in editorials and via other outlets by various organisations and individuals opposed to the Myanmar’s provisional government.

“I will try my utmost to bring ASEAN from nine members back to an ASEAN with 10 members as this year’s chair. I have already stated that if ASEAN has just nine members, that would mean ASEAN is weaker with an unhealthy attitude and an unwell outlook,” he said.

“If ASEAN has just nine members meeting out of 10, then there can be no true consensus and that means ASEAN is losing the strength it derives from its unity,” he said.

In recent days, there have been reports that pictures of Hun Sen and General Min Aung Hlaing have been stomped on and burned in public displays protesting the former’s diplomatic efforts and upcoming visit.

“Those who are against me include some Myanmar nationals. I understand your feelings. You have set fire to my picture and to Min Aung Hlaing’s. It’s okay, you can do that, but you would get a lot more benefit from a return to peace and to democratic processes in Myanmar,” he said.

Ro Vannak, co-founder of the Cambodian Institute for Democracy, said Hun Sen’s visit to Myanmar was a show of good will and that it was a strong display of leadership to even attempt to mediate the conflict in Myanmar.

“This visit also shows the ambitions of Cambodia’s leader. He [Hun Sen] wants to prove that he has the capability and leadership qualities necessary to initiate a process that will lead to a solution to this conflict, which impacts the entire region.

“In the past, it was usually Indonesia who undertook such initiatives. For now we’ll have to just wait and see what the actual results are,” he said.