ASEAN defense chiefs call for the fighting in Gaza to cease but struggle to address Myanmar violence

By NINIEK KARMINI and EDNA TARIGAN
Associated Press

JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) — Southeast Asian defense ministers have called for an end to the Israel-Hamas war and for the world to collaborate on setting up humanitarian aid corridors in Gaza. But they struggled on how to address the civil strife in Myanmar. The 10-nation Association of Southeast Asian Nations includes Myanmar, but its defense minister was again barred from attending this week’s meetings in Indonesia due to the military government’s failure to comply with a five-point peace plan drafted to ease the violence. The defense ministers on Thursday will be meeting with ASEAN’s eight dialog partners, where the territorial disputes are expected to be raised.