The United Nations special envoy for Myanmar met this week with the Association of South East Asian (ASEAN) envoy to discuss their joint efforts at peace-making in Myanmar, AP reports.

Cambodia’s Foreign Affairs Ministry said Foreign Minister Prak Sokhonn briefed Noeleen Heyzer, the visiting special envoy on Myanmar for the UN secretary-general, about his recent mission to Myanmar in his capacity as ASEAN special envoy.

Prak Sokhonn said that during his 21-23 March visit to Myanmar, he stressed “three urgent priorities, namely: making steps toward ending violence, facilitating the distribution of humanitarian assistance, and building trust and enabling environment.”

He told of plans for a consultative meeting on humanitarian assistance for Myanmar in early May, the Cambodian ministry said in a statement.

He also told Ms Heyzer of the challenges he faces, saying the different political actors in Myanmar are not ready for talks and are still strongly determined to continue their struggles, especially through armed struggle, the statement said.

“It is obvious there is no quick fix to problems that are so deeply rooted in the country, in the society, in the mind of people,” it said.

The ASEAN Chair Cambodia has come in for criticism by other ASEAN states over its handling of the negotiations and discussions concerning the Myanmar crisis, rapped for failing to gain consensus from other regional bloc states, and its failure to talk to opposition parties. The Myanmar junta has publicly refused access to the former civilian leader Aung San Suu Kyi, claiming she is in the midst of judicial proceedings, and it would be incorrect to disturb this process.

ASEAN has struggled to rein in Myanmar since the February 2021 coup, and last October blocked the Myanmar junta leader Min Aung Hlaing from joining ASEAN meetings due to the junta’s failure to adhere to the agreed Five-Point Consensus aimed at trying to bring peace to the troubled country.