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Myanmar junta strikes back at ASEAN after banned from conference

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Reuters

Reuters

On Wednesday, Myanmar's military leadership lashed out at an ASEAN group of Southeast Asian nations for excluding its generals from regional rallies, accusing it of yielding to "gain pressure."

Member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations have voiced their condemnation of Myanmar's military junta, which has sought to engage with the opposition and cease hostilities.

The Myanmar military seized power from the elected government in a coup last year and has since crushed opposition with deadly force. Most recently, the military government has been criticized for executing political activists and imprisoning Myanmar dissident and pro-democracy movement icon Aung San Suu Kyi.

ASEAN has barred Myanmar's generals from attending regional meetings, forcing some members last month to rethink how to move forward unless the military government shows progress on its peace plans. Said I couldn't get it.

The military government declined an offer to send non-political representatives to her ASEAN conference instead.

"If the seat representing a country is vacant, it should not be called an ASEAN summit," said Zaw Min Tung, a spokesman for the military government, at a regular press conference on Wednesday. added that it was working to implement peace. schedule.

"What they want is for us to meet and talk to the terrorists," he said, adding that the military against the pro-democracy movement armed against the military.

Although he said ASEAN violated its own policy of not interfering in national sovereignty issues, even in the face of "external pressure" , did not provide further details.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cambodia, the current chair of ASEAN, did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment.

Several Western countries, including the US and UK, have imposed sanctions on Myanmar's military government over the coup. (Reporting by Reuters His Staff, Written by Kanupriya Kapoor, Editing by John Geddy)