Solutions to Rohingya-related problems need int'l cooperation, say Myanmar, Thailand

BANGKOK, May 21 (TNA) - Myanmar and Thailand have agreed that solutions to persisting Rohingya-related problems need joint efforts of the international community. Thai Deputy Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai told journalists of the agreed position, after a meeting with his Myanmar counterpart U Thant Kyaw in Bangkok on May 20. Don also announced that Myanmar and Bangladesh have accepted Thailand's invitation to take part in an international meeting on irregular migration in the Indian Ocean, to be hosted by Thailand on May 29. Don noted that 17 countries, including Myanmar and Bangladesh, and three international organisations have already accepted Thailand's invitation to participate in the May 29 meeting, and that discussions at the meeting would cover all aspects of the irregular migration-related problems and their solutions in both the short term and long term. The Thai deputy foreign minister pointed out without Myanmar's participation, the upcoming meeting appears to be fruitless because Rohingya-related problems would not be solved at the country of origin. The Myanmar deputy foreign minister, himself, then told reporters that Myanmar is considering to send representatives to join in the senior officials-level international meeting on May 29, which is viewed as a good opportunity for concerned parties to discuss solutions on Rohingya-related problems. Asked whether it is possible that Myanmar will take back its Rohinya Muslim ethnics, the Myanmar deputy foreign minister said a nationality verification will be conducted first and if they were proven to be Myanmar nationals, the Myanmar government would be ready to take them back home. The Myanmar deputy foreign minister stressed that Myanmar abides by international norms to provide humanitarian assistance to those stranded in its territorial waters. The Myanmar deputy foreign minister opined that the May 29 international meeting should be a good forum if it was focused on humanitarian issues, but if it was focused on political agenda, it would lead to more complications. As Thailand has not followed a decision made by Indonesia and Malaysia at trilateral talks in Putrajaya, Malaysia, on May 20 to provide a one-year shelter to Rohingya migrants, Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha explained, meanwhile, that Thailand is only a transit point of Rohingya migrants and the possibility of accommodating migrants will be discussed at the May 29 international meeting. Deputy Government Spokesman Major General Sansern Kaewkamnerd, in the meantime, denied reports that Thai soldiers threatened to shoot at Rohingya migrants' boats to force them to leave the Thai waters, insisting that Thailand never resorts to any violent means, but, on the contrary, Thai soldiers have provided food and water to Rohingya migrants and helped repair their boats. According to updated reports, Thai authorities have had nine more suspects in the alleged Rohingya trafficking case in the Thai South and have issued arrest warrants against 77 suspects so far. The authorities reported that of the fresh nine suspects, four have surrendered and the five others have been arrested, and that of the overall 77 suspects, 43 of them are in custody and 34 others remain at large. (TNA)