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NEW YORK: Myanmar’s newly appointed ambassador to the United Nations resigned, saying his predecessor, who was fired by the military government, continues to represent the country, a UN spokesperson said on Thursday (March 4), the latest twist in a diplomatic row.
The military, which overthrew Myanmar’s civilian leaders and seized power in the Southeast Asian nation on February 1, had fired Kyaw Moe Tun on Saturday, a day after he spectacularly broke with the military government and pleaded with the General Assembly to help restore democracy.
The generals appointed their deputy, Tin Maung Naing, in his place.
But on Thursday, UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said that the Myannmar mission had sent a communication informing the body that Tin Maung Naing “has submitted his letter of resignation … recalling that Mr. Kyaw Moe Tun remains the Permanent Representative of Myanmar to the United Nations “.
The move came after a confrontation in which Kyaw Moe Tun wrote to the president of the UN General Assembly on Monday to insist that the coup was “illegal” and therefore the military had no authority to remove him.
“I therefore wish to confirm to you that I remain the permanent representative of Myanmar to the United Nations,” he added.
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On Tuesday, the Myanmar Foreign Ministry sent a note verbale to the UN, stating that Kyaw Moe Tun had been withdrawn.
That day, Dujarric said the UN was reviewing the two “contradictory” letters, as the body emphasized the unusual nature of the situation and said the UN accreditation and protocol committees would study the issue.
Anti-coup protesters unload fire extinguishers to counter the impact of tear gas fired by police during a demonstration in Yangon, Myanmar, on March 4, 2021. (Photo: AP)
Ultimately, they could refer it to the General Assembly for a simple majority of votes.
The decision is far-reaching because it means recognizing or not who is in power in Myanmar.
Since Tuesday, Kyaw Moe Tun has held meetings with his counterpart from the European Union and the representative of the United States, who reiterated their support.
