Myanmar skips ASEAN summit to protest general’s exclusion

By EILEEN NG and JIM GOMEZ
Associated Press

KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia (AP) — Southeast Asian leaders have begun a virtual summit that Myanmar skipped in protest after its top general was shut out. The exclusion of Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing was the harshest rebuke by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations since the military ousted Myanmar’s civilian government Feb. 1. ASEAN chair Brunei invited a “non-political” representative, but two diplomats said she didn’t attend Tuesday. The talks will be joined by other world leaders including President Joe Biden and are expected to spotlight Myanmar’s worsening crisis, the pandemic and other issues. ASEAN has been under pressure to help end the crisis in Myanmar, where the military’s efforts to quash opposition have triggered increasingly destabilizing resistance.