Bangladesh, June 30 -- Nearly five years after Myanmar's military seized power in the February 2021 coup, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) continues to publicly uphold its signature diplomatic initiative-the Five-Point Consensus-as the foundation of its approach to the country's crisis. Official communiques still reference the framework, regional leaders continue to reaffirm their commitment to it, and ASEAN maintains that it remains the organization's roadmap for restoring peace and stability in Myanmar.

Yet behind the diplomatic language, a different reality is taking shape.

Recent developments indicate that ASEAN is gradually shifting away from the original ambitions of the Five-Point Consensus. While the organizat...