ASEAN excludes Myanmar junta leader from summit in rare move

BANDAR BEGAWAN, Oct 16, (Reuters) - Southeast Asian countries will invite a non-political representative from Myanmar to a regional summit this month, delivering an unprecedented snub to the military leader who led a coup against an elected civilian government in February.

The decision taken by foreign ministers from the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) at an emergency meeting on Friday night, marks a rare bold step for the consensus-driven bloc, which has traditionally favoured a policy of engagement and non-interference.

Singapore's foreign ministry said on Saturday the move to exclude junta chief Min Aung Hlaing was a “difficult but necessary decision to uphold ASEANs credibility”.

The statement went on to cite the lack of progress made on a roadmap to restore peace in Myanmar that the junta had agreed to with ASEAN in April.

More than 1,000 civilians have been killed by Myanmar security forces and thousands arrested, according to the United Nations, amid a crackdown on strikes and protests which has derailed the country's tentative democracy and prompted international condemnation.

The junta says those estimates of the death toll are exaggerated.

ASEAN's current chair Brunei said a non- political figure from Myanmar would be invited to the Oct. 26-28 summit.