Myanmar offers to ‘take back’ Rohingyas

Dhaka, Oct 2 (IANS) Myanmar on Monday proposed to take back the half a million Rohingya refugees who have fled into Bangladesh, a media report said.

Kyaw Tint Swe, a Minister in the office of Myanmar State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi, offered to take back the Rohingyas after talks with Bangladesh Foreign Minister A.H. Mahmood Ali here, Daily Star reported.

Both countries also agreed to form a joint working group to solve the Rohingya crisis during the meeting that lasted for over an hour.

Foreign Minister Ali briefed media and disclosed about Myanmar's proposal to take back its nationals.

"Talks were held in a peaceful manner," Minister Ali said after the meeting at state guest house Padma. "Myanmar proposed to take back the Rohingyas from Bangladesh."

According to him, both sides decided to form a joint working group soon which will draw up plans for repatriation process of Rohingya refugees.

Under international pressure, Aung San Suu Kyi, in her speech last month, had spoken of taking back the Rohingyas, but said Myanmar would conduct a process of verification.

At Monday's meeting, Bangladesh handed Myanmar with a draft agreement of repatriation.

Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan, Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister's Office, state minister for foreign affairs, Foreign Secretary and other high officials attended the meeting.

Bangladesh is sheltering 507,000 Rohingya refugees, who have fled Myanmar since August 25.