Rohingya refugee crisis: Myanmar, Bangladesh hold discussion on repatriation

Myanmar and Bangladesh held talks to discuss on the issue of Rohingya refugee crisis.

Yangon, Jan 13: Myanmar and Bangladesh have agreed to start consultation for verification and repatriation of refugees, said a statement of the Myanmar Foreign Ministry on Friday.

The statement came after the visit of Myanmar Minister of State for Foreign Affairs U Kyaw Tin to Bangladesh as special envoy of State Counselor Aung San Suu Kyi over the last two days, Xinhua news agency reported.

The refugees concerned are those persons who fled armed men in the October 9 attacks last year on three border posts in Myanmar's Rakhine state.

The Myanmar minister met with Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Foreign Minister Abul Hassan Mahmood Ali during the state visit.

The two sides discussed issues of mutual interest, expressing the common desire to deepen bilateral relations and cooperation between the two countries, the statement also added.

They also agreed to resume the existing annual bilateral consultation mechanism as well as to hold regular meetings between the two border security forces and army-to-army talks, it said.

The Bangladesh Prime Minister reiterated her country's zero tolerance policy on terrorism, making clear that Bangladesh would not allow its soil to be used for terrorist acts against its neighbouring countries.

She also sought Myanmar's cooperation to resolve the border issues through negotiation, according to the statement.

IANS