Officials from ASEAN member states attended an informal FMM meeting in Bangkok, Thailand on July 12, 2026 with Myanmarese FM U Tin Maung being first on the right. (Union Minister of Foreign Affairs)
On July 12, Myanmar’s Union Minister for Foreign Affairs, U Tin Maung, presented his government’s priorities on stability, security and development agenda during the informal ASEAN foreign ministers’ meeting, amid continuing regional concern over the country’s continuing domestic instability.
The meeting marked the first in-person engagement between ASEAN foreign ministers and a Myanmarese governmental representative since the 2021 military takeover, underscoring the bloc’s cautious effort to keep diplomatic channels open. The current ASEAN chair, the Philippines, said Myanmar remains part of the regional family and will continue to be included in discussions on various regional issues.
U Tin Maung Swe briefed his counterparts on the newly elected government’s agenda, including national stability, peace, development and efforts to combat online fraud, as well as narcotics and human trafficking. He also pointed to humanitarian assistance delivered through ASEAN’s Coordinating Centre for Humanitarian Assistance on disaster management (AHA Centre), saying aid was being distributed without discrimination, despite Myanmar’s continuing political and security challenges.
The Myanmarese delegation also urged ASEAN to review the five-point consensus, saying it was inconsistent with the bloc’s basic principles and did not reflect conditions on the ground. It likewise called for Myanmar’s “original role and rights” in ASEAN to be restored, reflecting the regime’s broader effort to regain regional acceptance and reduce its diplomatic isolation.
The discussion highlighted the political and security dimensions of ASEAN’s Myanmar file. While the bloc has continued to press for dialogue and humanitarian access under its five-point consensus, Myanmar’s authorities are seeking regional acceptance and a reset in their standing within the grouping by emphasising stability, state capacity and cross-border security threats.
The talks signalled that ASEAN is still willing to engage Myanmar directly, even as the bloc continues to manage the consequences of the 2021 coup and the instability that followed. For ASEAN, the challenge remains how to sustain engagement without appearing to legitimise Myanmar’s rulers or while weakening the bloc’s own principles
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