Southeast Asian foreign ministers will gather in Bangkok on December 20 to discuss Myanmar’s ongoing civil conflict, which has raged since a 2021 military coup. Invited by Laos, the current ASEAN chair, ministers are expected to assess the stalled Five-Point Consensus—a plan calling for an immediate halt to violence and inclusive dialogue. Myanmar’s military junta has largely ignored these demands, continuing attacks on resistance forces and resisting engagement with opposition groups.

This meeting comes as China becomes more assertive in shaping Myanmar’s political landscape, encouraging armed groups to pause their offensives and signaling support for elections planned by the junta for 2025. Amid these shifting dynamics, ASEAN is trying to foster conditions for negotiations, though critics say its consensus-based, non-interference principles limit its leverage. While neither side in Myanmar appears willing to compromise, ASEAN’s diplomatic forum could still provide a platform if the evolving situation—marked by the junta’s recent battlefield losses and China’s intervention—opens new avenues for dialogue.

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