ASEAN leaders say 'deeply concerned' about Myanmar violence
INDONESIA — Indonesian Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi said Friday that her country was using "quiet diplomacy" to speak with all sides of the Myanmar conflict and spur renewed peace efforts.
But a senior Indonesian minister said Tuesday that ASEAN was at a "crossroad" and risked becoming irrelevant if it failed to deal with Myanmar and other regional emergencies.
ASEAN's charter principles of consensus and non-interference have hamstrung its ability to stop the violence in Myanmar, which critics say poses an existential threat to the bloc.
Divisions among its members over Myanmar and other issues, including China's growing assertiveness in the disputed South China Sea, have undermined the bloc.
Expectations for progress at this summit are low.
"Indonesia has indicated they are planning to release an implementation plan for the five-point consensus," said Aaron Connelly, an analyst for International Institute for Strategic Studies in Singapore.
"I don't think that there's going to be very much there that will surprise people."
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