August 4, 2022
PHNOM PENHttt – Prime Minister Hun Sen said the current situation in Myanmar is seemingly worse than it was before the ASEAN Five-Point Consensus (5PC) was reached in April last year, with the ongoing crisis exacerbated by the recent execution of four opposition activists.
“Cambodia, as well as all ASEAN Member States, are deeply disappointed and disturbed by the execution of those opposition activists, despite the appeals from me and others for the death sentences to be reconsidered for the sake of political dialogue, peace and reconciliation,” he said during his opening remarks at the 55th ASEAN Foreign Ministers’ Meeting (AMM) and related meetings in Phnom Penh on August 3.
Hun Sen said the 5PC has achieved little, if any, aside from the provision of humanitarian assistance to Myanmar.
“If more prisoners are to be executed, we will be forced to rethink about our role vis-a-vis ASEAN’s Five-point Consensus,” he added.
Nevertheless, he said that Cambodia, as the chair of ASEAN, will continue to work to find a solution acceptable to all parties.
The premier said the Kingdom has spent so much time and energy in the face of so many difficulties and criticism to help the predominantly Buddhist country and its people strike a political compromise.
“We will continue to do so without placing our ASEAN unity at risk,” he said.