The chairmanship is supposed to rotate annually among the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, also known as ASEAN. But Myanmar, which has more than 2,000 political prisoners, was forced to skip its turn in 2006 because of intense criticism of its rights record.
It has since held its first elections in 20 years, released Nobel Peace Prize laureate Aung San Suu Kyi from house arrest, and eased some restrictions on the media.
Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa said Southeast Asian leaders meeting on the resort island of Bali had decided Myanmar should chair ASEAN in 2014.
“It’s not about the past, it’s about the future, what leaders are doing now,” he told reporters. “We’re trying to ensure the process of change continues.”
Several Western nations and human rights groups, however, say it’s too early to celebrate.
They want more evidence Myanmar — one of the world’s most isolated and autocratic countries for a half century — has really changed.
Though the new government is nominally civilian, it’s led by a former general who has promised to liberalize politics.
ASEAN consists of Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam