Reuters, Bangkok/The Daily Star (Bangladesh)

Mon Jun 19, 2023 12:00 AM

Thailand's caretaker government was preparing to host talkswith the foreign minister of Myanmar's military junta today, a day later thanplanned, as key Southeast Asian nations signalled they would stay away from thedivisive meeting.

Bangkok has been pushing to reengage with Myanmar's generals- who have been locked in conflict with armed opposition militias since seizingpower in a 2021 coup - in the face of opposition from other members of theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), which has barred the junta fromsenior level meetings.

Thailand, whose prime minister himself first took power in a coup, sent outan invitation just four days ago to Asean foreign ministers, inviting them towhat it said would be an informal meeting set to start yesterday.

The invitation, seen by Reuters and verified by two sources, referenced aproposal at an earlier summit "that it was time for Asean to fullyre-engage Myanmar at the leaders' level".

Myanmar's junta-appointed Foreign Minister Than Swe was to attend the talks,two sources with knowledge of the meeting told Reuters.

Later yesterday, the Thai foreign ministry released a statement saying the"informal dialogue" would start today. It would not amount to aformal Asean meeting, the ministry said, but would "help support Asean'sefforts" to end the violence in Myanmar.

File photo of Thailand's Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai.(Photo: AFP/Pool/Willy Kurniawan)