ASEAN chair Brunei says Myanmar should be given space to return to normalcy

Brunei's Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah speaks during the virtual ASEAN Summit, hosted by ASEAN Summit Brunei, in Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei October 26, 2021. ASEAN SUMMIT 2021 HOST PHOTO/Handout via REUTERS

BANDAR SERI BEGAWAN (Reuters) - Myanmar should be given space to return to normalcy in line with the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' (ASEAN) principle of non-interference, the bloc's chair Brunei said on Tuesday.

ASEAN leaders kicked off a series of regional meetings on Tuesday without a representative from Myanmar, following its top general's exclusion for ignoring a peace roadmap agreed six months ago.

Brunei Sultan Hassanal Bolkiah "reaffirmed that Myanmar is a part of the ASEAN family and, with respect to the principle of non-interference, it is important to give Myanmar space to return to normalcy," an ASEAN statement said.

(Reporting by Ain Bandial; writing by A. Ananthalakshmi; Editing by James Pearson)