Bangladesh Launches Talks with Myanmar on Rohingya Repatriation Deal

Rasa - Bangladesh launched talks with Myanmar aimed at a deal to repatriate Rohingya refugees and Dhaka’s foreign minister will address the matter at talks in Myanmar this week, the Bangladeshi foreign ministry said.

News ID: 434878

Date: 20 November 2017 - 19:44

RNA - More than 600,000 Muslim Rohingya have fled to neighbouring Bangladesh since late August, driven out by a military clearance operation in Myanmar’s Rakhine State, Express Tribune reported.

The Rohingyas’ suffering has caused an international outcry.

Meanwhile, a senior aide to Bangladeshi foreign minister said he would leave for Myanmar late on Sunday to attend an Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) on Monday and Tuesday, adding that he would stay another couple of days for bilateral talks on the Rohingya refugees.

The unnamed aide expressed hope for an agreement on allowing Rohingya to return to Myanmar, saying, "Both countries have almost reached an understanding on this issue and there are a few points still to be agreed ... We hope to reach an agreement."

Stung by international criticism and accusations of ethnic cleansing of the Rohingya Muslims, Myanmar in early November said, according to presstv, it was ready to set up a repatriation process. Myanmar's de facto leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, has said Rohingyas who can prove they were resident in Myanmar would be accepted back.

Suu Kyi, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1991, has so far done almost nothing to end the violence in Rakhine State despite increasing pressure from the international community.

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