By Rozanna Latiff

KUALA LUMPUR, (Reuters) – A special meeting of Southeast Asian foreign ministers was held on Friday to discuss the Myanmar political crisis. Several countries are expected to call for a more aggressive response to the failure of the military to implement a peace plan.

Brunei, currently the ASEAN Chair, will make a statement about Saturday’s virtual meeting that lasted more than two hours, according to a spokesperson from Malaysian Foreign Ministry and a regional diplomat.

In a February 1 coup, Senior General Min Aung Hlaing led the Myanmar military to take control. It ended 10 years of attempted democracy and caused a backlash which has plunged Myanmar into chaos.

Fifteen months after agreeing to the ASEAN plan, the failure of the junta to stop violence, provide humanitarian access, and begin dialogue with its enemies has put a test on the bloc’s resolve – as have its perceptions of international credibility.

Reuters reached out to two sources who knew about the meeting but they declined details.

The lack of progress in Myanmar has frustrated several ASEAN members such as Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. They have suggested they would back the exclusion of Min Aung Hlaing, the junta boss, from the ASEAN leaders summit this month.

On Friday, Malaysia’s foreign minister Saifuddin Abdullah stated that the meeting will discuss Erywan Yusof’s ASEAN special representative’s plans to visit Myanmar next week and assess its readiness to give commitments to those goals.

Malaysia would not like the general attending the summit, if real progress isn’t made. “No compromise in that,” he stated.

Since 1997, Myanmar has been a source of division in ASEAN. It was a military dictatorship that the West criticized for its rigid rule. This detested ASEAN’s unity as well as its international reputation.

Min Aung Hlaing’s expulsion would mark a significant step in the ASEAN bloc. Although Min Aung Hlaing isn’t officially recognised as a leader of ASEAN, it would still be an important move. The bloc has always favored engagement over punitive action and has pursued a policy that doesn’t interfere with each other’s affairs.

In April, the junta leader agreed to ASEAN’s five-point plan for a solution to the chaos since Aung San Suu Kyi was overthrown. He also accused her of fraud in an election she won by a wide margin.

But Zaw Min Tun, the Myanmar junta spokesman, this week said ASEAN envoy Erywan would not be allowed https://reut.rs/30uv6sB to meet Suu Kyi because she is charged with crimes.

Late Thursday, Myanmar’s foreign minister stated that it was committed to ASEAN and the receipt of the envoy.

Erywan could be encouraged to prioritize ways of “building trust and confidance” during his first trip.