B'desh Foreign Secretary on trouble shooting mission to Yangon

Dhaka, Nov 4 (UNI) Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Touhid Hossian will visit Yangon today on a trouble shooting mission in trying to defuse the current situation over Myanmar vessels' attempt to explore oil and gas in disputed area in the Bay of Bengal.

Mr Hossian, who will lead a high-level delegation, will lodge Bangladesh's protest at the highest level of the Myanmar authorities against exploration attempt within the Bangladesh's maritime zone and call for halting the energy exploration in disputed waters.

Bangladesh Foreign Adviser Iftekhar Ahmed Chowdhury said, ''it will be our endeavour to settle the issue diplomatically, for Bangladesh is a peace-loving country.'' He, however, cautioned that ''let it also be understood that we will do all that it takes to protect our sovereignty.'' The adviser said Bangladesh has so far refrained from energy exploration in disputed waters. ''We hope Myanmar will do the same,'' he added.

Bangladesh and Myanmar will hold discussions on maritime boundary on November 16-17 when a delegation from Myanmar, now to be headed by a Deputy Minister, will come to Dhaka.

Two other delegation members are Commodore (Retd) Khurshed Alam and Commodore Habibur Rahman Bhuiyan of Bangladesh Navy.

UNI XC GL HT1827