(Reuters). Myanmar’s military rulers have pledged that they will cooperate as much as possible with a cease-fire agreement with ASEAN. This was despite a strong rebuke from ASEAN for excluding Myanmar’s top commander during a summit.

The junta announced in state media that it supports peaceful coexistence and will cooperate with ASEAN to implement a 5-point consensus reached in April. This agreement was supported by China and the West.

ASEAN foreign ministers decided on Oct. 15 to sideline https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/asean-chair-brunei-confirms-junta-leader-not-invited-summit-2021-10-16 Min Aung Hlaing, leader of a Feb. 1 Myanmar coup, for his failure to implement that plan, which included ending hostilities, initiating dialogue, allowing humanitarian support and granting a special envoy full access in the country.

The junta struck back https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/myanmar-rejects-asean-decision-exclude-junta-leader-summit-2021-10-22 late on Friday, accusing ASEAN of departing from its principals on consensus and non-interference. The junta refused to accept Min Aung Hlaing’s request to replace Min Aung Hlaing as its representative in Myanmar.

Brunei is the ASEAN chair and has not responded Myanmar’s reject.

A spokesperson for Thailand’s foreign minister declined to comment Saturday due to the sensitive nature of the issue. However, Teuku Faizasyah from Indonesia’s foreign Ministry spokeswoman stated that ASEAN’s consensus regarding who will represent Myanmar at the summit was the “common guidance for all ASEAN member countries”.

This is a rare snub by a bloc that has been long condemned for its inefficient and tardy dealings with members accused of atrocities.

According to activists, more than 1000 civilians were killed during a crackdown on Myanmar after the coup. Thousands more have been detained and tortured. It is accused of using excessive force against civilian populations.

According to the junta, many of the detained or killed were terrorists who wanted to disrupt the country. The junta chief last week said opposition forces were prolonging the unrest https://reut.rs/2ZgZJBG.

ASEAN’s special envoy, Erywan Yusof of Brunei, had sought a meeting with ousted leader Aung San Suu Kyi, but the military government said that was impossible https://reut.rs/30uv6sB because she was detained and charged with crimes.

According to NHK, the Japanese broadcaster NHK, Erywan was warned by the junta not to interact with any opposition groups it had outlawed. This included the shadow National Unity Government which is an alliance of prodemocracy-armed ethnic groups.

On Sunday, a spokesperson from Myanmar and Erywan did not respond to two separate inquiries about the warning.

The announcement on Sunday by Myanmar’s leaders reaffirmed their five-point plan to restore democracy. This was the same plan that they presented after the coup.

It insists that it is Myanmar’s legal authority and the takeover of its government was not an act of coup. However, it was a lawful and necessary intervention to counter the threat to Myanmar’s sovereignty from Suu Kyi, who it claimed won a fake election last year.