Prime Minister Hun Sen has reaffirmed Cambodia's adherence to non-interference principle regarding the ongoing Myanmar crisis, but supported mediation by the ASEAN chair, ASEAN secretariat and other ASEAN member states toward a constructive dialogue among relevant stakeholders.
Hun Sen made the remarks during an unofficial ASEAN summit initiated by Indonesian President Joko Widodo and Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah, the current ASEAN Chair. Notably absent from the summit – held in the Indonesian capital Jakarta and primarily touched on the Myanmar crisis – were the Philippines, Thailand and Laos.
In his Facebook post, Hun Sen said Cambodia supported the creation ASEAN’s special envoy to develop an enabling environment for negotiations in a constructive manner to solve the Myanmar crisis. The prime minister suggested that the bloc consider turning to the ASEAN Troika mechanism to facilitate a private dialogue among relevant parties.
“If there is mediation, the parties in conflict can find a peaceful solution. No party wants to see bloodshed and loss of lives.
“As an ASEAN member state, Cambodia is always ready to join other ASEAN nations to help Myanmar return to normal, in any forms possible in line with the ASEAN principle and that are acceptable to all parties,” Hun Sen said.
The summit was held as demonstrations against the military coup in Myanmar raged on, with at least one person killed, adding to the more than 700 lives lost since civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi was ousted, according to the Agence France-Presse.