ASEAN Ministers Call Off Myanmar Election Visit After Junta Snub

ASEAN ministers have canceled a visit to Myanmar to discuss the junta’s December election plan after the regime declined to receive their delegation.

The delegation—led by the foreign ministers of Malaysia, Indonesia, Thailand and the Philippines—had planned to fly to Myanmar on Friday (Sept. 19) after ASEAN agreed in July to hold talks with junta chief Min Aung Hlaing and top generals. The visit was to be led by Mohamad Hasan, foreign minister of Malaysia, the bloc’s current rotating chair.

Hasan said in August that his delegation would examine the poll plan, but he wanted to discuss with the junta whether the elections would be comprehensive.