From L-R: Myanmar's Permanent Secretary to Asean Aung Kyaw Moe, Singapore's Minister of Foreign Affairs Vivian Balakrishnan and Thailand's Minister of Foreign Affairs Maris Sangiampongsa pose for a photo during the Asean Foreign Ministers' Retreat on Malaysia's Langkawi Island on Jan 19. AFP

Southeast Asian foreign ministers are gathering for their first meeting this year under the regional bloc’s new chair, Malaysia, seeking a breakthrough over Myanmar’s drawn-out civil war and territorial disputes in the South China Sea.

Despite Asean’s call to prioritise peace over a sham election, Myanmar’s military rulers appear bent on clinging to power no matter the cost.

Southeast Asian foreign ministers told Myanmar’s junta to prioritise a ceasefire in its civil war over fresh elections during a meeting in Malaysia

By Danial Azhar LANGKAWI, Malaysia (Reuters) -Southeast Asian nations told Myanmar's military government on Sunday its plan to hold an election amid an escalating civil war should not be its priority,

LANGKAWI: The ongoing Myanmar crisis and tensions in the South China Sea will feature in the discussions at the Asean Foreign Ministers' Retreat here during the weekend, says Malaysian Foreign Ministry Secretary-General Datuk Seri Amran Mohamed Zin.

Malaysia has appointed a new ASEAN special envoy to Myanmar to try and implement the regional bloc’s stalled peace plan for the war-torn country.

Myanmar remains one of the region’s most pressing challenges, demanding Asean’s collective attention and decisive action to uphold its founding principles of democracy, human rights, constitutional government and regional stability, as enshrined in its charter.

The regional bloc told a junta representative at a meeting that a poll is “not a priority at the moment," Malaysia’s foreign minister said.

LANGKAWI, Malaysia -- ASEAN foreign ministers warned Myanmar's military regime on Sunday that its election planned for this year has to be "inclusive" and "involve all stakeholders."

Malaysian diplomat Othman Hashim faces the weary task of engaging the junta and persuading it to abide by a Five-Point Consensus ASEAN drew up after the coup.

"Malaysia wants to know what Myanmar has in mind," Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan told a press conference after a ministerial retreat on the island of Langkawi. "We told them the ...