Jakarta: Asian diplomats and a leader indicated that Southeast Asian leaders are determined that Myanmar won't assume the rotational leadership of their regional bloc in 2026 as planned. This decision is the latest setback to the aspirations of Myanmar's ruling generals to obtain international legitimacy following their violent takeover of power in 2021.
The Philippines agreed to take over the regional bloc’s chairmanship in 2026 at an Asean summit hosted by Indonesia, Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said.
Marcos omitted to explain why Myanmar lost the prestigious one-year chairmanship of Asean, but two Asean diplomats told the media that the reason was due to the civil unrest in the nation and concerns that the bloc's ties with the US and the European Union, among others, might be harmed because they do not recognise the military government in Myanmar.