Rozanna Lattif and Tom Allard

(Reuters) –Southeast Asian foreign ministers are expected to discuss the exclusion of Min Aung Hlaing chief of Myanmar’s junta from a regional summit on Friday. Sources with knowledge of this matter stated that they were discussing it.

ASEAN’s members strongly condemned Myanmar’s lack of action on the five-point plan, which it signed with the bloc last April. The plan, which focuses on dialog among all parties and humanitarian access as well as an end to hostilities, was criticised by several ASEAN member nations.

Brunei is the current ASEAN chair. According to ASEAN sources, they will host Friday’s unscheduled virtual meeting.

The Myanmar military spokesperson Zaw Min Tun didn’t respond to requests for comment. Brunei’s foreign ministry didn’t respond to an email asking for comment.

Last week, Erywan Yusof (the bloc’s special representative to Myanmar) confirmed that some members were “deeply in discussions” over not inviting the coup leader for the Oct. 26-28 virtual Summit.

According to Erywan, the lack of commitment by the junta to the five points was “tantamount backtracking”. The office of Erywan declined to comment Friday’s meeting.

Myanmar’s long history of military dictatorship has made it one of ASEAN’s most challenging issues since 1967 when the group was founded. This is a test of ASEAN’s unity policy and its non-interference policies.

Erywan stated this week that he had been in discussions with Myanmar parties. He does not endorse any political views and is looking forward to visiting.

The junta’s Foreign Ministry stated late Thursday that while the envoy suggested a visit this Week, he requested “some specific persons”, an offer the military turned down.

Zaw Min Tin was previously the spokesperson for the junta and said that the envoy wouldn’t be permitted to meet Aung San Suu Kyi, the deposed civil government leader, because she has been charged with crimes.

The foreign ministry stated that Myanmar had agreed to let the envoy meet with people from legally-established political parties. They should also have accepted the amended schedule to “build trust and confidence between the special envoy” and the country in question.

United States, China, and United Nations all supported ASEAN in its efforts to resolve the diplomatic crisis. However, ASEAN is under increasing pressure. Some critics are calling for more aggressive measures to address Myanmar’s stubbornness.

According to United Nations estimates, more than 1100 people were killed in the February coup. Many of these deaths occurred during crackdowns by security forces against strikes and protests that had been allied with Suu Kyi’s ousted government.