The 24th ASEAN summit is set to be a landmark in the history of the association of nations, with Myanmar acting as host for the first time. But tensions in the country threaten to cloud Myanmar’s hopes of using Sunday’s ASEAN summit as a coming-out celebration.
From once perceived as an isolated country, Myanmar has come a long way in reforming its political situation
And this, the 24th ASEAN summit, that starts with the meeting of the member country’s foreign ministers , is Myanmar’s first chance to show that it is ready…
to fully participate in the association of nations, that is also one of its’ fierce supporter
The country is also hoping to use the momentum of this chairmanship to further reforms in the country
Ye Htut, Myanmar presidential spokesman, said, "We have the more confident in our process (to reform) now, all the, even the different stakeholders are working to fulfil the ASEAN Summit chairmanship. So we want to bring this cooperation to the future reform process."
But this historic moment is potentially clouded by the events that transpired here…the south china sea..
Where tensions are running high after China, Vietnam and the Philippines were involved in a series of serious incidents at the disputed territory.
Marty Natalegawa, Indonesian foreign minister, said, "A quite substantive part of our discussion was on the South China Sea but as I said before not reflecting division, on the contrary reflecting our sense of common purpose. I think I said ministers were united in one thing to respond collectively the recent developments, expressing their concern and calling for exercise of restraint"