Union Minister holds talks with Bangladeshi FM over Northern Rakhine issue

 October 2, 2017

At the invitation of H.E. Mr. Abdul Hassan Mahmood Ali, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, the Union Minister for the Office of the State Counsellor, U Kyaw Tint Swe visited Dhaka, Bangladesh from 1 to 3 October 2017, accompanied by the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, U Kyaw Zeya.

During his visit, the Union Minister called on H.E. Mr. Abdul Hassan Mahmood Ali, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh, on 2 October 2017.

The two Ministers exchanged views on how to resolve the issue of residents from the Rakhine State who have recently crossed over to Bangladesh.

The meeting was attended by H.E. Mr. Asaduzzaman Khan, Minister of Home Affairs and Senior Officials from Prime Minister’s Office, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Home Affairs of Bangladesh.

The Union Minister also reiterated the commitment made by Myanmar’s State Counsellor Daw Aung San Suu Kyi on 19 September 2017, that Myanmar is ready to begin the verification and repatriation of refugees. It was recalled that in accordance with the agreed criteria set out in the Joint Statement between Foreign Ministers of Myanmar and Bangladesh on 28 April 1992, a total of 236,495 people of 46,993 households had been repatriated from Bangladesh to Myanmar from September 1992 until July 2005.

The Union Minister also referred to the agreement made at the Senior Officials Meeting between Myanmar and Bangladesh held in Yangon on 14 January 2000, in which both sides agreed that, in the case of the repatriation of split families and their left behind family members, this process could be carried out on the presentation of legal documents certified by the Government of Bangladesh. The Union Minister expressed his firm conviction that issues arising between two neighbours can be resolved bilaterally, in an amicable manner, taking into consideration the national interests of both countries.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh reiterated the desire of Bangladesh to maintain the traditional friendship between the two neighbouring countries and expressed its position that ARSA is regarded as a common enemy of both Myanmar and Bangladesh and stressed its policy of Zero Tolerance against terrorism.

At the conclusion of the meeting, the Union Minister invited H.E. Abdul Hassan Mahmood Ali to visit Nay Pyi Taw, Myanmar, with a view to taking forward arrangements with regard to the security of the border, and the verification of those refugees who wish to return to Myanmar according to the criteria agreed to in the Joint Statement of April 1992. The invitation to visit Myanmar was accepted by the Bangladesh Foreign Minister.

Following the meeting, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bangladesh hosted a luncheon for the Union Minister, which was also attended by the Bangladesh Home Affairs Minister. The Union Minister, on behalf of the Union Minister for Home Affairs of Myanmar, Lieutenant General Kyaw Swe, handed over a renewed letter of invitation to the Bangladesh Home Affairs Minister to visit Myanmar at an early date for further discussion. The Home Affairs Minister expressed his agreement to visit Myanmar at an early date, and will give the finalised dates when the Prime Minister of Bangladesh returns from the United States.

The discussions were held in a friendly and candid manner.

Myanmar New Agency

Ref; The Global New Light of Myanmar