ASEAN's special envoy has met with Myanmar's military-backed negotiators and rebel groups, with all sides acknowledging no military solution exists for the civil war. Thailand is prepared to facilitate future peace talks.
The acknowledgment by all parties in Myanmar's conflict that a military solution is not viable, coupled with Thailand's offer to facilitate talks, represents a crucial diplomatic opening that could lead to a de-escalation of the ongoing civil war and address the severe humanitarian crisis.
Thailand's Foreign Minister Sihasak Phuangketkeow announced that opposing sides in Myanmar's civil war have indicated openness to dialogue, signaling a potential revival of ASEAN's peace efforts. The country's military-backed negotiators and several rebel groups, including the Karen National Union and Karenni National Progressive Party, met separately with ASEAN's special envoy, Maria Theresa Lazaro, and Thai officials.
All parties involved recognized that a military solution to the ongoing conflict is not feasible or in their interests. Thailand has offered to serve as a facilitator and provide a venue for future peace talks, a significant step given the estimated 100,000 lives lost and millions displaced since the 2021 military coup.
While the rebel groups are open to dialogue, they are still working to establish a common position. ASEAN foreign ministers had previously held in-person talks with their Myanmar counterpart, the first since the coup. Thailand and ASEAN also expressed a desire to meet with the detained Aung San Suu Kyi and reaffirmed their commitment to ASEAN's Five-Point Consensus peace plan.