Myanmar government has once again rejected an ASEAN request to meet detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi, reinforcing analysts' view that the junta feels little pressure to comply with the regional bloc's demands.

The refusal came shortly after Suu Kyi turned 81, as renewed international calls for her release or access to her were dismissed by the military authorities. Regime spokesperson Khaing Khaing Soe said Suu Kyi is serving prison sentences under Myanmar law and therefore cannot meet international representatives.

According to Asia News Network, the latest rejection marked the second failed attempt by Philippine Foreign Secretary Ma. Theresa Lazaro, the current ASEAN chair's representative, to secure a meeting with the imprisoned Nobel laureate. Analysts say the decision reflects the junta's determination to control all access to Suu Kyi while limiting ASEAN's influence over Myanmar's political crisis.

Hunter Marston of the Lowy Institute said the military leadership believes ASEAN needs Myanmar more than Myanmar needs ASEAN, noting that only former Thai foreign minister Don Pramudwinai and Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi have been allowed to meet Suu Kyi since the 2021 coup.

Suu Kyi, who has been detained since the military seized power in February 2021, is serving a prison sentence that has been reduced from 33 years to about 18 years. Her supporters and international rights groups maintain the charges against her are politically motivated.

Observers say the junta views Suu Kyi as both a powerful political symbol and a bargaining chip in its dealings with ASEAN and the wider international community. Despite repeated calls from the regional bloc to implement its Five-Point Consensus peace plan, Myanmar's military leadership has continued to resist external pressure.

Meanwhile, Suu Kyi's son, Kim Aris, urged world leaders not to ease pressure on the military regime, saying the international community must remain engaged and continue seeking proof of his mother's well-being after years of isolation.

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