KRATIE: Prime Minister Hun Sen has stated that his involvement in finding a solution for the ongoing crisis in Myanmar has both supporters and opponents, however, it is overall not a problem for him if the issue cannot be resolved this year alone. He made this statement while speaking at the inauguration ceremony of National Road No. 7 in Kratie province on Monday morning.
The Prime Minister stated, “I receive no benefit other than to help the people of Myanmar get out of war. You are cursing the Prime Minister and Special Envoy of the United Nations about Myanmar and pushing Myanmar into further war.”
He said his method is to end war first then move forward to becoming a democracy, and added that he believes the overthrow of the Myanmar military government was not the answer for the country.
"I find peace and protect peace for my country, it is enough, it is very difficult. If you want to fight, you can fight. My method is to end war first then we are able to run democracy, whatever it is,” the Prime Minister said.
He continued that the Myanmar issue needs a long-term solution, not one that can be formed in a single day, because Myanmar has been under military rule for more than 70 years. He detailed how he had to engage in four years of negotiations before forming the Paris Agreement, but this agreement alone was not sufficient so he had to formulate the win-win policy, as an example of the long process it takes towards achieving peace.
"[According to the] Khmer experience, four years of negotiations before the Paris Agreement and one Paris Agreement was not sufficient, I added more win-win politics that brought the peace and national reunification of today,” he said.
Prime Minister Hun Sen paid an official state visit to Myanmar on 7-8 January seeking to help find a solution to the ongoing conflict and bring the country back to ASEAN. During the visit, Myanmar's military leader, Min Aung Hlaing made a pledge with the Prime Minister that the military government would extend the ceasefire until the end of 2022, facilitate the ASEAN Special Envoy’s visit to meet with all relevant parties involved in the conflict, including ethnic armed groups, and also promised to release Australian economist, Sean Turnell.
The current crisis in Myanmar stems from the military coup that took place on 1 February 2021, that saw the arrest of State Councilor Aung San Suu Kyi, President Win Myin and other ruling party officials by the Myanmar Armed Forces who refused to recognize the November 2020 election results and handed over the leadership of the country to the Commander-in-Chief of the National Army, General Min Aung Hlaing.
The people of Myanmar have largely opposed the coup and staged a series of protests in opposition to the military regime, causing Myanmar to be engaged in the longest ongoing civil war in history.
